


Right Under My Nose

by WinterMaidenMuse



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Beach Holidays, Beaches, Best Friends, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, Dating, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Fun, Humor, Oral Sex, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Sex, Vacation, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:07:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 39,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27007849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterMaidenMuse/pseuds/WinterMaidenMuse
Summary: Modern Day AU. Lucy, Natsu, Gray and Erza have been best friends for the last decade, and they’ve seen each other through the ups, downs, pains and joys of the last ten years. When yet another one of Lucy’s Tinder dates backfires and she’s all about ready to give up on her love life, she wins a free 2D1N island vacation for two… and ends up going with Gray! What can happen in two days? GrayLu fluff & smut! Don't read if you're a GrayLu hater.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 9
Kudos: 62





	1. Lucky Lucy

**Author's Note:**

> As I was writing this story, I was genuinely curious as to whether other writers prefer to finish writing the entire story before posting, so that updates are regular, or if they prefer to write and post each chapter one by one? I have a tendency to procrastinate, and I was afraid that I would end up procrastinating for way too long and even end up forgetting the original idea for the story, so I finished ~80% of it before I decided to post the first chapter! But that also meant it took me quite some time before I could post anything...
> 
> If you're a fellow writer, which do you typically do? And if you're a reader, which would you prefer? I'd love to know! :) Meanwhile, enjoy this little light-hearted holiday fic!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

**Lucky Lucy **

_“Okay, see you guys later at Fairy Tail Taproom at 9pm,”_ mumbled Lucy as she finished typing the text. Oh! She remembered something at the last minute before adding on to the text, _“If I don’t score tonight, that is ;)”_. She giggled as she pressed ‘send’. Her mobile let out a little ‘ding’ as the message was successfully sent out to her best friends in their group chat. She threw her phone unceremoniously onto her bed as she lifted her arms in a huge stretch. It was currently 4.30pm, and she had about an hour to get ready before she needed to leave her home to meet her date for the night.

Lucy was a 23-year old blonde, with large, beautiful brown eyes and a body to-die-for. She was blessed with a well-endowed chest, and sported curves in all the right places. She knew she had the looks, and empowered with that knowledge, Lucy carried an attractive air of confidence in her everyday life. To top it all off, she wasn’t just a vase for show, and actually possessed the intelligence to make it into one of the top universities in the country. It definitely helped that she had a tight-knitted group of friends with whom she had spent the last decade of her life with – her ‘dream team’.

Consisting of 3 other members, Natsu, Erza, Gray and Lucy met 10 years ago when they were 13, and they had just begun middle school in Magnolia. They were in the same class, and Lucy had happened to be sitting next to Erza. They were each other’s first friends, and their personalities complemented each other very well. While Lucy was a radiant star, shining and happy-go-lucky, Erza was the stable, older sister that was always dependable for help and advice of all sorts. She kept Lucy grounded, giving her reality checks when she needed it, and encouragement when things got demoralising. On the other hand, Lucy helped Erza to see the lighter side of things, and always managed to find positivity in the midst of any difficulty.

Natsu came into the picture when he got caught trying to copy Lucy’s homework, thinking they were out for lunch. Erza gave him a good earful, and Lucy simply laughed, offering to help him with his homework if he joined them for their after-class study sessions. He had jumped at that opportunity, because otherwise he was certain he would flunk school in no time. He was attracted to Lucy’s bright smile and chirpiness, and with the two of them being so sprightly, it was no surprise that they often got into trouble (courtesy of Natsu’s bad influence on Lucy). After a certain point in time, Erza gave up trying to control her two childish friends.

Finally, Gray, the last of the Dream Team, got inducted into the group when he got into a huge fight with Natsu. Being two hot-headed males with egos much larger than their brains, a simple disagreement over whether a foul was committed during a soccer match blew up into a full-blown fist fight. They were obviously punished with detention after class, during which Erza and Lucy had snuck into the detention room to cheer Natsu up. When Lucy spotted Gray, she recognized him as the boy who was always sleeping in a corner in class, getting caught for taking his shirt off and complaining that the classroom was too warm, even when it was winter and everyone was bundled up in warm clothes. She found him very interesting and had always wondered why he never hung out with anyone. She decided to befriend him, and get him to join their group – “for Natsu’s sake, since he’s the only guy!” according to her. Natsu would certainly beg to differ.

Gray had tried to resist initially, but with Lucy dragging him to lunch everyday, he had no choice but to give in after 2 weeks. Truth be told, he did enjoy their companionship, and it helped to detract from the monotony of school. From then on, every time Lucy got into trouble because of Natsu’s antics, Gray would step up to take the blame instead, becoming Lucy’s guardian angel and Natsu’s love-hate brother from another mother. Erza was relieved that at least someone else possessed some semblance of common sense, apart from her, in the group.

Over the years, as they graduated middle school, finished high school and moved on to university, they were inseparable. Although they were separated into different classes, and chose different majors along the way, they made sure to always pick the same schools, and met up regularly to catch up. They were never out of touch with anybody’s lives, and the gang always knew about one another’s milestones. They lent listening ears and shoulders to cry on, drank and partied hard together, celebrated and rejoiced on happy occasions, and covered each other’s backs when someone got hurt. They were way more than friends – definitely a family, that nobody else could replace.

If there was a flaw that the group had to point out about Lucy, it would definitely be her nature of always giving others the benefit of the doubt first. They wouldn’t deny that she was a smart girl, but she could be incredibly dumb when it came to being street smart. Her kind heart and ability to always see some light in the dark sometimes became a weakness, resulting in her being taken advantage of by people around her. That was how she always ended up the person drawing the short end of the stick – doing more than was required, putting in more effort than others around her, and getting the least out of things. And also, this was how she always attracted the bad guys.

 _‘Tonight’s going to be great. Dan is different,’_ Lucy thought to herself happily as she rummaged through her wardrobe, in search of something to wear. Her last relationship had ended slightly more than a year ago, with a guy named Loke. He was a handsome, charismatic young man, and was her first official boyfriend. He possessed a silver tongue, and had a way with words that inevitably won Lucy’s heart. Unfortunately, his looks and glib tongue were a hit with plenty of other girls as well, and Loke was a man that enjoyed attention. After a year and a half of trying to make the relationship work, Lucy decided to call it quits because she couldn’t stand seeing Loke openly flirting with other girls while dating her. It was only “harmless flirting”, as he termed it, which she also believed for the duration of their relationship because she had so much trust in him. However, one day, Levy, one of Lucy’s good friends from another class, took a screenshot of a pick-up text that Loke had sent her, and that was the last straw.

Okay, it was actually Erza who drafted the break-up text and Gray who deleted his contact from her phone and social media, while Natsu downed shots with Lucy, but that was the end of that chapter. Lucy was single, available and soon-to-be ready to mingle!

Since then though… let’s just say Lucy hasn’t had much luck in the boy department despite her attractiveness and fun personality. She had taken to using online dating apps, but let’s face it, quite a significant number of the guys on those platforms are terrible choices for a boyfriend. Fast-forward 10 months of male chauvinistic pigs, bad conversations, failed first-dates and traumatizing dick pics, Lucy was on the verge of deleting every single dating app she had installed on her phone, and considering swearing off dating when she matched Dan Straight.

Dan was funny, with a similar sense of humour as Lucy, and was a great conversationalist. He also led an interesting life – he was an indie singer in a band called Legion, and they regularly travelled to neighbouring cities for gigs. Because of that, despite texting for the last 3 months, they’ve only ever met once, which was a month ago. Their first date went fantastic, and Lucy was over the moon, positively bouncing with unconcealed joy when she updated her group about Dan. While the rest were definitely happy for her, they did have some reservations – considering Lucy’s track record and the fact that the dude’s a popular singer. That being said, they didn’t want to be a wet blanket, and were supportive of the budding relationship that Lucy shared with him.

Finally, tonight was going to be their second date. Dan was back in town after touring for the past month, and he was going to be based in Magnolia for the next 4 months, working on a new album. Lucy couldn’t wait to see him and make their relationship official, so they could make the most of the next 4 months together!

The plan for the evening was to have dinner at a seafood restaurant by the pier, and to enjoy the beautiful sunset that Magnolia was famous for. If time allowed, they would head to the nearby waterfront park for the weekly evening live singing. She couldn’t stay too late as she had a pre-arranged drinking session with her gang, but she did pre-empt them that she would ditch them if things got hot and heavy. After all, she hadn’t seen the man in a month, and she wanted to seal the deal - both literally and figuratively!

Lucy’s hands grabbed hold of two dresses, and pulled them out from her wardrobe. One was tight figure-hugging floral midi dress, and the other was a low-cut kimono wrap mini dress. She knew exactly what to wear to flatter her curves, and she wanted Dan’s jaw to drop the minute he sees her – and to realise how badly he wanted to make her his. She brought both dresses to her full-length mirror, holding them side by side in front of her body. Staring at her reflection, she giggled and blushed slightly as she imagined Dan’s face lighting up in awe as she sashayed towards him.

After a few minutes, she decided on the kimono wrap mini dress. Besides the fact that it showed off her luscious cleavage nicely, it was also a dress that was easy to take off… should anything exciting happen that night. She quickly changed into her choice of outfit, and got started on her make-up and hair.

At 5.30pm on the dot, Lucy put on her black heels and stepped out of the house. It would take roughly 30 minutes by train to get to the pier from her apartment, so she had just enough time. Humming softly to herself, she had almost arrived at the train station when she received a text.

 _“Hey Lucy, hope you remembered my pants! I really need it for tomorrow,”_ read a text from Erza. "OH SHIT!" Lucy gasped as she realized she had forgotten to bring out the leggings that Erza wanted to borrow. Erza was a part-time fitness instructor, and she was called in to teach some last-minute private classes over the weekend. Erza had ran out of activewear and wanted to borrow one of Lucy’s gym leggings.

Lucy quickly u-turned and started making her way back to her apartment. She sighed heavily as she realized that she would have to take a cab in order to be on time for her date with Dan, but that was entirely her fault. She sent a hasty reply to Erza reassuring her that she had it, before she brisk-walked as quickly as she could in her heels.

 _‘Okay, I think that’s everything,’_ Lucy checked her bag for a final time, patting the gym leggings, before locking the door behind her. _‘I hope a cab comes by soon!_ ’ Thankfully, she saw a yellow cab coming her way, and she stretched out a hand to flag it down.

Getting in and giving the driver her destination, she took out her phone to check the time. It was 5.50pm. _‘Oh no, I’m going to be late!’_ Lucy’s eyebrows furrowed as she opened her chat with Dan to drop him a text to let him know. They had a reservation and she didn’t want the restaurant to give up the table to someone else. _“Hi Dan! I’m so sorry, but I’m going to be slightly late. Can you help to claim the table first? Can’t wait to see you!”_ she smiled to herself as she sent the text out. She settled back against the car seat as she looked out the window, watching the buildings and people pass by.

Suddenly, she sat up ramrod straight. A feeling of dread took hold in her stomach, and her previous good mood evaporated instantly. Her cab was currently stationary at a red light, and her eyes were locked on a particular someone. Someone that looked uncannily like Dan Straight.

Her taxi was currently stopped in front of a mid-tier hotel, which was common around the vicinity since the waterfront was quite a popular choice for tourists to stay. However, Lucy saw Dan walk out of the building, and he wasn’t alone. He had his left arm wrapped tightly around a busty young female. His brown hair was tousled, and the top few buttons of his shirt were left unbuttoned. They looked like a couple, and just then – Dan stopped walking, bending down to capture the young female’s lips in a deep kiss. Even from where she was in the cab, Lucy could tell it was a full-blown kiss with tongues and all, and she watched as one of his hands snaked down to grab the girl’s ass and give it a squeeze.

At this point in time, Lucy was just staring in disbelief, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Dan then straightened, reaching into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet, before taking out a thin stack of 50-dollar bills and handing it over to the girl. She took the wad of bills, placed her hand on his chest saying something, before turning to walk away. Dan smiled lazily as he took out his phone. Nobody needed it to be spelt out to understand the transaction that had just taken place.

Just then, Lucy’s phone vibrated with a ‘ding’. She took it out, and read the text that had just come in, from Dan: _“Hey babe, can’t wait to see you too, I’ve missed you so much. I’ll grab the table first, take your time. Don’t make me wait too long ;)”_.

Lucy glared at her phone. She couldn’t believe the audacity of the jerk. Her breathing got heavier as anger simmered within her, and she looked back out the car to see said man walking towards the pier casually. What was it about her that attracted all these dickheads? Was she never going to find someone who would truly love and treasure her? Her mind was blank – all she could think of was how much she hated Dan, and how much she hated men. Forget it, she didn’t need anyone. She was her own strong, independent woman, and she had had enough of all these stupid fuckboys.

But first things first – should she still meet him? On impulse, she almost told the cab driver to turn back around, but then she realized that Dan didn’t know what she saw. She decided she was going to meet Dan at the restaurant, put on a sweet front, and then ruin his night. She nodded to herself as she typed out an angry text to her friends. _“Guess what guys? I’m swearing off dating forever. I officially hate men. I need to get drunk tonight – let me know if any of you guys can make it earlier than 9. I’ll probably be there in 45 minutes.”_ Hell hath no wrath like a woman scorned.

* * *

Gray’s eyebrows rose as he read Lucy’s latest text in the group chat. His eyes darted to the clock on his wall to check the time, and noted that it was only 6pm. They weren’t supposed to meet for drinks until 3 hours later, but the last person he expected to push their meeting earlier was suggesting they meet in 45 minutes. Well, he had nothing to do anyway, and was just about to put on a movie to while his time away. He sent a quick reply, before heading to the bathroom for a shower. _“I’ll be there in 45.”_

Gray was a handsome 23-year old, sporting a head of forever-tousled navy hair, with matching deep navy eyes. While he wasn’t the tallest guy out there, he was decently tall – a whole head taller than Lucy. He had broad shoulders and a lean, muscled body that he maintained by engaging in sports regularly. He often played soccer with Natsu and other friends from university, and he liked going for jogs around his place. Gray hummed a soft tune to himself as he soaped himself absentmindedly. He was genuinely curious as to why Lucy would send such a text, tonight of all nights, especially. The whole group knew how excited she was to meet her latest guy, Dan, and now that it was finally happening, he couldn’t fathom what might have possibly happened – before their date even commenced. He let out a small smile as he imagined Lucy’s angry face – one that he had seen a multitude of times over the last decade of knowing her. Perhaps it was true that both Lucy and him truly had no luck in the relationship department.

Despite his good looks and good-natured personality, Gray was single and available. He broke up with his last girlfriend, Juvia, 8 months ago, due to a LDR that the both of them were not ready to commit to. Alright – it was mostly him that decided to call it quits, but he was actually doing his ex-girlfriend a favour. He knew that he wasn’t going to marry her no matter how long they dated, and he had only decided to give the relationship a shot because she had been infatuated with him for a whole year. The relationship had lasted 2 years, and it was relatively nice for the first year. However, during the second year, the honeymoon effect wore off and Juvia started becoming more possessive and controlling, which made Gray feel extremely suffocated. Finally, when Juvia found out that she got accepted to a Master’s Program abroad, Gray decided that it was time to break it off with her, so that she can find a better man who can make her truly happy.

Since then, he had been enjoying singlehood, with no strings attached. He did try to get to know other girls – from dating apps, bars and friends of friends, but for some reason, he always attracted the weirdos. Well… for example, there was Cana, an alcoholic; Bisca, who seemed like she had some violent tendencies; Evergreen, a self-obsessed bimbo; and Mirajane, who was scarily motherly and too ready to have a baby. He gave off a slight shiver as he remembered all these failed attempts at meeting a suitable girl. No way – he was way happier single! Having good friends by his side was more than enough for him – his bonds with Natsu, Erza and Lucy were unshakeable and irreplaceable.

Also, it helped that Lucy was single too – she was gorgeous, hot, and got him like nobody else. Although the other two were also his best friends, he and Lucy had a special friendship. They were each other’s first confidantes, and they would know immediately what the other was thinking even without words. From the first day he met her, he already felt like she would be the most special to him, and he always protected her, putting her needs first. In fact, people who didn’t know them would assume they were a couple, judging by how close the two always were! If you asked him, he would definitely say Lucy was his ideal type, and he might have a little thing for her… but he had never once considered trying to date her, because he would never do anything to jeopardize the group’s dynamics.

Gray stepped out of the shower and dried himself, wrapping the towel around his waist loosely. He went over to his wardrobe and pulled out a white collared shirt and a pair of dark denim jeans. Putting his clothes on in front of his mirror, he flexed his abs a little, grinning slightly at his toned physique. Nothing wrong with some self-appreciation, right?

He checked the time: 6.20pm. He had ten minutes to dry his hair before heading out to meet Lucy at Fairy Tail Taproom. Picking up his phone, he saw new messages that had come in from Erza and Natsu both – they would all be there at 6.45pm. He smiled – he had expected nothing less from his group of friends. They always had each other’s backs.

* * *

“Hi there! We have a reservation for 4 at 9pm under Erza Scarlet, but do you think we could get a table now? Preferably outside, with a view,” Erza asked sweetly, smiling at the young waiter standing outside Fairy Tail Taproom, who was on seating duty. He blushed slightly as he smiled a wide smile back at the red-haired lady, before checking the reservation book in front of him. He took a quick look into the restaurant, and nodded excitedly, replying, “Yes! We have the perfect table for you, ma’am! Please follow me.”

Erza and Natsu followed the boy into the Irish-themed bar, where he led them out onto the balcony seating area, which overlooked a beautiful park. It was a cool evening, with a light breeze blowing, making it perfect for enjoying some drinks. The boy pulled out a chair for Erza, who winked at him before taking her seat. Natsu took the seat next to Erza, groaning loudly. “I am absolutely starving! That ice prick and Lucy had better get here soon before I die of hunger,” he complained.

“Stop whining – are you five?” Erza rolled her eyes at the pink-haired young man beside her. Natsu complaining of hunger was nothing new, it was as though he was permanently going through puberty. “They’ll be here soon, let’s order some finger food first.” Natsu perked up upon hearing that, and quickly reached for a menu. Before he even flipped it open, the chair opposite him was dragged out, and a tall man in a white collared shirt sat down opposite him.

“Oi.” Gray tipped his head towards Erza and Natsu, in his usual way of greeting. Erza nodded back, but Natsu frowned. “You’re late, Ice Princess!” he stated accusingly.

Gray merely shrugged, answering, “Don’t miss me so much, Squinty Eyes.” They exchanged a quick fist bump after.

“I wonder what’s up with Lucy,” Erza mused, as she watched the exchange between the two boys. They had a special love-hate relationship that nobody else could understand. “She was so hyped up about meeting Dan, I was sure she was gonna ditch.”

Natsu nodded. “Yeah, she was going on and on about how she had a really good feeling about this dude and all. I mean, we knew it was going to be difficult since he’s a musician and travels so often, but I dunno, I thought it had some potential.”

Gray looked thoughtful. He was as clueless and curious as the others, but he didn’t want to speculate too much. After all, Lucy was going to be here soon – he would wait to hear her side of the story from her directly.

Just then, they heard the sound of heels clicking against the wooden floor of the bar. As Erza and Natsu’s backs were facing the entrance to the balcony, they didn’t pay too much heed. Gray however, saw Lucy enter the bar with a dazzling smile at the young waiter from earlier. He watched as she followed the boy, her eyes lighting up when she spotted them. She gave a quick wave to him, and turned to say something to the boy, before leaving him and heading over to their table quickly. Gray couldn’t take his eyes off Lucy – she looked so good in her kimono wrap mini dress, with her black heels accentuating her slim legs.

He gave her a soft smile when she walked up to them, placing a hand on his shoulder as she pulled the chair out beside him, and taking a seat. “Hey guys,” she said breathlessly. “Sorry I’m a little late!”

“LUCE! What took you so long? I’m starving!” Natsu whined loudly with a wide grin adorning his face. “You look hot by the way,” he winked.

Lucy grinned back. “Thanks babe,” she blew him an air kiss. “You guys haven’t ordered? So sorry – let’s order our food now!”

The group took a couple of minutes to flip through the menu before waving a waitress over to take their orders. Once they were done with deciding their food and drinks, they settled back to make conversation.

Lucy sighed as she leaned back in her chair, looking over at Gray and giving him a smile. He raised his eyebrows at her, before commenting, “I agree with Natsu – you look great. I’m sure you dolled up for another reason though, besides to meet us.”

Erza leaned forward, clasping her hands in front of her on the table. “Yes Lucy, so what’s up? Isn’t it too early to miss a chance at scoring? And why are we meeting three hours early?” she asked.

There was a short pause, before Lucy erupted. “YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED. I CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE THE NERVE OF THE GUY. Guess what? I caught Dan after he had fun with a _hooker_ ,” she spat, with extra emphasis on the last word. “A HOOKER! BEFORE OUR DATE! THE NERVE!”

The other three sat there in shocked silence. “What?” Erza asked incredulously. “A hooker?”

“Yes. A hooker. Seriously, why does this always happen to me…” Lucy groaned in frustration. “I was on my way to meet him, walking to the train station when Erza reminded me to bring her pants. I realized I forgot, so I rushed home to take it, and decided to take a cab to the waterfront, since I wouldn’t make it on time if I took the train. And wow, while on the cab, at a red light outside Magnolia Bay Hotel, I saw him coming out of the hotel with this big-boobed girl. I saw him KISS HER, GRAB HER ASS, and then take out his wallet to PAY HER,” she relayed angrily. Before anyone could react, she continued, “And that’s not the best part. The best part, was that after he paid her and she walked off, he had the nerve to TEXT ME, telling me how much he missed me, and asking me to NOT MAKE HIM WAIT TOO LONG!” Lucy almost yelled the last part in her fury.

Gray’s eyes widened in anger and disbelief. They all had their reservations about Dan, the charismatic musician, but he didn’t expect him to be THIS big of a douchebag. To a certain extent though, he was glad that Dan had shown his true colours (or that Lucy had caught his true colours) before they got too serious. The last thing they wanted was for Lucy to get played and her heart broken. He placed a calm hand on her arm despite his inner anger, and voiced his thoughts. “He doesn’t deserve you, Lucy. But at least now you know how big of an asshole he is, and you managed to avoid associating with scum.”

Erza nodded in agreement. “I’m so sorry Lucy, that really sucks. And you guys seemed to have a good thing going too. But I agree with Gray – I’d rather you see this side of him now before you guys end up dating, and potentially even catch some STD from him,” she huffed in disgust.

Natsu however, had a deep frown on his face, and his fists were clenched. He was super pissed on Lucy’s behalf – how dare anyone play up his best friend like that? He slammed the table harshly with one fist, growling, “Tell me where the bastard is. I’m going to beat up his pretty boy face! Let’s see how he gets hookers after that!” His words were so loud that guests seated at the neighbouring tables looked over, wondering what in the world they could be talking about. Erza quickly shushed him.

“Don’t be stupid, Natsu!”

“What?! Aren’t you guys angry for Lucy? This guy obviously has no respect for her,” Natsu persisted.

“Of course we’re angry for her! Who do you think we are? But beating the bastard up is not going to help Lucy,” Gray retorted angrily. Natsu only let out a disgruntled grunt in response. He knew that Gray was right.

“But Lucy… what did you do after you saw him with the hooker? The waterfront isn’t that far from Fairy Tail – why did it take you 45 minutes to get here?” Erza asked warily. They all knew Lucy had a bit of a scary streak in her when someone really rubbed her the wrong way.

Lucy felt a warm feeling blossom within her when she saw that her friends were so angry and indignant on her behalf. When she heard Erza ask her question, an evil smile spread across her face. “Well I couldn’t just let him go like that, could I?” Lucy drawled. “I went to meet him at the waterfront anyway.”

“WHAT?!” Natsu barked out. “WHY?!”

“Because I wanted to teach him a lesson. I went to the waterfront, and saw a female busker packing up after her set. So I asked her if she wanted to earn a quick buck, and asked her to meet Dan in my place. I told her I’ll give her $50 if she walked into the restaurant, go up to Dan, splash wine at him and give him a slap. I also told her to pretend to be his wife, and accuse him of finding hookers outside while he left her alone with their 2 children at home.” Lucy grinned proudly. She was obviously very happy with herself. “Oh I offered her another $50 more if she revealed his identity as the indie singer too. That should help boost his ‘fame’,” she gestured some air apostrophes with her hands.

Natsu whistled as he stared at Lucy in wonder. He was super impressed with her ploy. Sure, it did cost her $100, but boy did she succeed in doing a dirty deed without even getting her hands dirty. This girl was a genius!

Gray was equally impressed. He didn’t think Lucy would resort to such underhanded means, but Dan deserved it. He smirked, imagining the humiliation Dan must have gone through. He only wished he had been there to see Dan’s face!

“Shit Lucy, that’s awesome! Now that’s a well-spent $100,” praised Erza. “I think we all wish we were there to see his stupid face get slapped!” she laughed. “But are you alright? How are you feeling?”

Lucy sighed. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t disappointed. “Disappointed and sad, of course. I really thought I had struck gold this time,” she scoffed. “We got along so well, shared the same humour, and had similar interests. I honestly thought we had a fighting chance at something, you know?” she said sadly. “Maybe I’m just not destined to ever find someone.”

Gray felt his heart clench. He could hear the sad longing in Lucy’s voice, and it made his heart ache. At the same time, he was angry that she let herself be so affected by a guy that was trash, and he was also angry that she couldn’t see that she was worth much more.

“You don’t _need_ a man, Lucy. You’re so much better than any of these scumbags on those stupid dating apps. You can do so much better than trash, and I bet there’s someone out there who would treat you like treasure, that you just haven’t met yet,” Gray said, his frustration evident in his tone and facial expression.

Natsu and Erza looked over at him in surprise. He was never a vocal person, and for him to go on such a tirade out of the blue was very out of character. Natsu however, had a knowing glint in his eyes.

Lucy was equally startled. He had always been protective of her but never actually got angry over such things. “Uh, Gray…” she bit her lower lip, her deep chocolate orbs searching his questioningly. “I’m fine, Gray. You don’t have to get angry.” Lucy placed a gentle hand on his arm.

He sighed. Just then, their food and drinks arrived, distracting the group from the exchange that had just taken place. “Never mind, the food’s here. Forget it and let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“Well it’s about time! I’ve lost 10kg already!” Natsu clapped his hands together in glee. Lucy and Erza just rolled their eyes at him and his childish antics.

As they dished out the food and started tucking in, the waitress who had taken their food orders earlier came over with the young waiter from the door. This time, she was carrying a large spin-the-wheel in her hands. The four of them looked up in curiosity, unsure what was happening.

The young waiter smiled and explained, “Hi there! Today’s Fairy Tail Taproom’s 5th anniversary, and to thank our customers for their support over the years, every table gets a chance to spin the wheel! There are attractive prizes to be won, and you also stand a chance to win the grand prize of a 2-day 1-night island getaway for two! May I ask who’s to be the lucky person to spin the wheel?” he gestured excitedly at the wheel in his colleague’s hands, waiting for the group to answer.

Erza’s eyes lit up when she heard the mention of the 2-day 1-night island getaway. She loved participating in giveaways and lucky draws, and this one sounded very enticing! She looked at Lucy eagerly and said, “Lucy! You spin the wheel. Tonight you’re our guest-of-honour and you’ve always been the luckiest among us!”

Gray nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Lucy, you spin the wheel. Maybe your bad luck with men might pay off in this lucky wheel, eh?” he teased.

Lucy sent a mock glare Gray’s way, but broke into a smile right after. “Alright! I’m going to win the island getaway, you guys just wait!” She stood up from her seat, and walked towards the waitress. Taking in a deep breath, she placed her hand on one of the wheel’s spokes, and gave it a moderately hard spin. All of them watched as the wheel spun, the various prizes on it mixing together in a psychedelic mishmash of colours. To be honest, they were really just trying their luck and didn’t expect to win anything. The wheel started to slow after ten seconds, and they waited as the needle passed through the voucher prize, the free buckets of beer, the free side dish, an empty slot, to finally land on… THE ISLAND GETAWAY PRIZE.

Lucy’s jaw dropped in utter shock. “OH MY GOSH?!”

“CONGRATULATIONS, MISS! You have just won the grand prize of the 2-day 1-night island getaway for two!” the young waiter exclaimed in excitement. “You’re the grand winner of the Fairy Tail Taproom 5th Anniversary Giveaway!”

Erza let out a shriek and jumped up from her seat. “LUCY! You are indeed a lucky star! I can’t believe you just won a free island staycation?! That’s so freakin’ awesome!”

“NO WAY LUCE! Take me along with you! I want to go on a free getaway!” Natsu joined in the commotion with loud yell. Gray simply shook his head in disbelief at Lucy’s incredible luck. He was speechless – he had never seen anyone win a grand prize like this before, and had always thought such things were a scam.

They finally calmed themselves down after a good five minutes of chattering away in euphoria over the lucky win, and Lucy and Erza returned to their seats. The young waiter had run into the restaurant to grab the pair of tickets, and was now back at their table to explain the terms and conditions of the free island getaway.

Lucy had won a 2-day 1-night island getaway for the coming weekend to nearby Tenrou Island, which was a 2-hour boat ride from mainland Magnolia. The prize consisted of two return ferry tickets, one night’s stay at a luxurious beachfront resort in a private villa with a continental buffet breakfast, a complimentary 1-hour massage for two, and a romantic welcome dinner on the beach. It sounded like an amazing treat… for a couple, that is. Unfortunately, Lucy was _not_ part of a couple.

“Okay… this is great but I literally have nobody to go with. And it’s not like I can take you guys with me, because it’s only for two. Also, it’s for this weekend, which starts tomorrow,” Lucy complained. “How am I supposed to find anyone on such short notice?”

Erza looked at Lucy thoughtfully. “You don’t have to consider me, because I’m definitely not available. I need to teach my classes. I don’t believe you’re free either right, Natsu?”

Natsu scratched his head, trying to remember his weekend schedule off the top of his head. “Yeah I’ve got soccer training that I can’t miss, and I can’t leave Happy in the house alone without a cat-sitter.” Natsu had recently gotten a cute little kitten as a pet.

“That just leaves you, Gray. Since both Natsu and I aren’t free, if Gray’s available then why not the two of you go on that island vacay? It’s free and I think it’ll be fun to let your hair down, especially after what happened with Dan. Go and party your heart out, and get over that jerk,” said Erza.

Lucy turned to look at Gray. She raised her eyebrows at him and asked, “So? Are you free this weekend?”

“Hmm, let me think.” Gray furrowed his brows as he took a couple of moments to run through his weekend plans in his head. It seemed like he had nothing much on, and had originally planned to chill the weekend away in his home with Netflix. Well, a free island getaway definitely sounded better than spending 48 hours lying on the couch, wasting his life away in front of the television. Also, he had never gone on a holiday with just Lucy before – it was always the four of them – so he was curious as to how it’ll be like. “Yeah, actually I’m free. I guess we could go together then – no point letting this rare prize go to waste, eh?” he smirked.

Lucy grinned back at him, punching him lightly in his shoulder. “YES! Island getaway, here we come!”

Later that night, after hours of chatter, drinking and laughter, Natsu and Gray took a toilet break and were walking back from the restroom. Halfway back, Natsu placed a hand on Gray’s shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. Gray looked back questioningly. Natsu let his hand fall, and said, “Hey Gray, I hope you use this chance well.”

Gray frowned, not understanding what Natsu was saying. “Use this chance well? What chance? To do what?”

“I know how you feel about Lucy, and so does Erza. We’ve known you guys for so many years, and have been through literally everything with you both. I can tell you like Lucy, and this is the best chance for you to tell her how you feel. So she’ll stop looking for more idiots like Dan.”

Gray stood there in silence, taking in Natsu’s words. He couldn’t deny what Natsu had just said. Of course he had feelings for Lucy – that was precisely why he had gotten angry with her earlier on. When he said that there was a man out there who would treat her like treasure, he had a distinct feeling he was picturing himself. It was something he had never told anyone – couldn’t, tell anyone, for fear of ruining the friendship. But now, Natsu seemed to be giving him his blessing, and he was also saying that Erza had similarly known it all along. Was this really going to be the chance he needed?

“I’ll… try,” Gray replied hesitantly. He had his doubts… but Natsu was right. The way his heart ached earlier was a sign that he has had enough, and it was time to take the wheel.

Natsu grinned and slapped Gray on the back, hard. “That’s ma man, the Ice Princess!” he stuck his tongue out at Gray childishly as Gray scowled, making a gesture to punch his pink-haired friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Off on a free holiday! Now that's something I'd definitely love... not that travel is possible at all during this time T_T I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


	2. Tenrou Island (I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos that this story has received so far! I appreciate every single kudos, bookmark and comment, and they really do provide encouragement and keep me going :) 
> 
> I’m sorry for the slight delay – I had meant to post this chapter on Wednesday, but I’ve been a tad busy with planning my stories for the upcoming GrayLu Weekend 2020 that will be happening from 6 – 10 Nov, so do keep an eye out for that! I will most definitely be participating and keeping the GrayLu love alive!
> 
> All that aside, here’s Chapter 2. Since the actual chapter turned out to be a little long, I’ve broken it into two parts instead. I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

** Tenrou Island (I)**

At 7am on the dot, Lucy walked into the ferry terminal, dragging a small pink suitcase behind her. Decked in a white floral mini-dress that accentuated her figure and showed off her cleavage, the blonde beauty turned heads wherever she went. Her luscious golden hair hung in waves down her back under the straw hat she had on. She looked around, trying to spot her companion, but it seemed like he wasn’t there yet. Well, it was still early anyway, since they had arranged to meet at 7.15am, 45 minutes before their ferry.

She found some empty seats and sat down, taking out a pocket mirror from her rattan sling bag. Opening it, she checked her make-up, and allowed a small smile to slip out. She was super excited and couldn’t wait for this weekend island vacation – especially because it was completely free!

Yesterday felt like a dream – from the nightmare of being utterly disappointed by Dan to the unimaginable surprise of actually winning a free island getaway, and the most unbelievable part… was the fact that she was going on this trip with one of her best friends. A _male_ best friend – Gray.

Don’t get her wrong – she was looking forward to going with Gray, because he was the only other person in their group that was completely on the same frequency as her, and it was their first time travelling together, alone! They had always travelled as a group of four, together with Natsu and Erza, but this time was an exception due to circumstances. She had only won a pair of tickets, and incidentally, both Natsu and Erza already had plans for the weekend and couldn’t have made it anyway.

While she knew what Gray was like as a travel companion, she wondered if he’d be different now that it was just the two of them. He always showed her his softer side when they were alone, mostly because his male pride wouldn’t let Natsu see his genteel aspect, and also because their conversations and choice of activities tended to be more intellectual. Well, for example, one of her favourite pastimes was stargazing, and Gray and her would often visit Magnolia’s planetarium for special astronomy events. If she had brought Natsu instead, she would be spending 80% of the time trying to stop him from breaking something (expensive), and the other 20% would be dedicated to listening to his laments about how bored he was. As for Erza… well let’s just say she would be asking questions nobody had the answers to. Like, “Why can’t constellations be named after famous desserts instead of weird zodiacs? Don’t you think a constellation called Strawberry Parfait would be much easier to remember? I’m pretty sure this constellation looks more like a strawberry than a lion.”

Lucy let out a soft laugh as she thought of her beloved friends’ funny antics. Indeed, they were an odd quartet, but together they made it work.

“Why are you laughing to yourself? People are going to think you’re a creep,” a smooth baritone sounded beside her. She looked up to see the man she was about to spend the next three days with – Gray Fullbuster. He had on a pair of shades, and was wearing a pair of black berms coupled with a short-sleeved floral shirt that had the top two buttons unbuttoned. He didn’t bring a suitcase, only a big weekend duffel bag slung over his shoulders. His face had his usual handsome smirk, and one hand clutched a small paper bag.

“ _You’re_ the creep, sneaking up behind a pretty young lady like that,” she countered in a teasing tone. She looked down at the paper bag he was holding, looking oddly out of place against his attire. “What’s in that bag?” she asked.

He lifted his shades onto his head with his free hand, before opening the paper bag to pull out a ready-to-eat sandwich. “Oh, I got us some sandwiches for breakfast. Club or ham and cheese, your choice.”

Lucy beamed up at him just as her stomach decided to let out a little growl. “You’re the best, Gray! I call dibs on ham and cheese.”

“I knew you were going to pick that,” he responded as he handed over the sandwich that he had taken out. “But I think we should wait till we’re on the ferry before we eat though, it’s almost our boarding time.”

Just as he mentioned it, they heard some slight static over the public announcement system, indicating an announcement was about to be made. Lucy took the sandwich and quickly stuffed it into her bag.

“Attention please, the 8am ferry to Tenrou Island is now available for boarding. All passengers please proceed to Pier D, where boarding may now begin. Please note that the door will be closed fifteen minutes prior to the stipulated departure time. Thank you.”

It was time to head over to the pier to board their ferry. Lucy stood up, pausing to adjust her dress. She checked that all her belongings were with her, and smiled at Gray in anticipation. “Wanna go?”

Without even giving her a reply, he pulled his shades back down over his eyes, making Lucy raise an eyebrow. Smirking, he reached over to grab Lucy’s suitcase before walking off towards the gate.

She let out a huff at his attempt at being cool, but her eyes softened a moment later, looking at his back. Despite his lack of verbal response, his actions often spoke louder than his words. Deep inside, she knew that she would truly have the best time with Gray out of the three of them, and she was actually really, really looking forward to getting to spend all this time alone with Gray in a holiday setting. Well, enough contemplating – it’s time to have some fun!

“Hey! Wait up! That’s _my_ suitcase!”

* * *

Two hours later, the pair walked excitedly along the concrete pier connected to Tenrou Island. The ferry ride had been smooth and enjoyable, having been given premium economy tickets, as part of the lucky draw prize. They had spent the first hour of the journey chilling in their seats and eating their sandwiches, chatting about what they hoped the island would have, what they would first do, and about how they hoped the skies were clear enough for some stargazing.

While talking, they overheard some other passengers exclaiming about how they spotted some wild dolphins swimming along the boat, so they had gone out to the sun deck to check them out. Luckily for them, the dolphins stuck around for more than fifteen minutes, following the course of the ferry and making playful leaps out of the water, eliciting wow’s from the passengers. The weather was beautiful – sunny, but with clouds providing some shade. Both Gray and Lucy had chosen to stay on the sun deck for the rest of the journey to enjoy the sea breeze and fantastic sea view. It was truly refreshing and rejuvenating for the soul, especially for them who grew up as city people.

There were two main sides to Tenrou Island for visitors. One was the main village, where majority of the tourists and locals stayed – this area was lined with hostels, budget hotels and mid-tier resorts for families and friends who wanted to just have a fun time on the island. There was also a huge souvenir market located on this end, which was lined with aisles upon aisles of little shops manned by locals, selling items ranging from handmade trinkets to traditional clothing woven from special materials only found on the island. Visitors also loved to enjoy the unique cuisine options of Tenrou Island, which was – no surprises there – centred on seafood.

Besides the food and the vibrance of the local culture, this little island off the coast of Fiore was particularly famous for its activities. The island boasted some of the kingdom’s most beautiful beaches and healthiest reefs, which ensured no lack of marine life and breathtaking corals. There were plenty of water activities available for tourists, for people who preferred getting wet to people who simply enjoyed lazy lounging. It was honestly a great place for a quick getaway.

The other side of the island was catered to guests who preferred a more private and luxurious experience. There was only one 5-star resort on that end, which ensured exclusivity. In fact, the resort only had twenty-five villas, which meant every guest was guaranteed a hundred percent service and attention from the well-trained staff. However, the small supply of available rooms meant that they were always in high demand, and guests had to make bookings up to six months in advance just to secure a room. Incredibly, for Lucy and Gray, the lucky draw prize had entitled them to one night in this posh resort, in a private villa of their own.

As they entered the arrival hall, Gray spotted a tall, dark-haired young man holding up a white placard with the words **‘MISS LUCY HEARTFILIA’** printed across it. He was dressed smartly in a white shirt, over which he wore a maroon fitted vest, and black trousers. Gray tapped Lucy’s shoulder, getting her attention before pointing at the man. Lucy’s eyes lit up, and they quickly walked over to him, waving.

“Good morning Miss Heartfilia, good morning sir. I’m Romeo, your driver, and I will be bringing you to the resort for checking in. How was the ferry ride?” The young man greeted the pair politely, a bright smile adorning his youthful face.

Lucy returned his smile. “Hi Romeo! You can call me Lucy, and this is Gray. It’s nice to meet you, thanks for picking us up!” she introduced. “The ferry ride was very smooth, and we both really enjoyed it. Would it be a long drive to the resort?”

He thought for a moment before shaking his head slightly. “No, Miss Lucy, it isn’t too far. It’s about a 40-minute drive, but the journey will pass by very quickly as there are many things to see on Tenrou Island,” he reassured. “Let me help you with your bags, and please, follow me.”

He reached forward to take Lucy’s suitcase, and made to take Gray’s duffel bag, but Gray declined his offer with a friendly shake of the head and a quick “it’s no problem”. Romeo gave a slight bow, before turning, leading the way to his car.

As they started to follow him, Lucy leaned over to whisper to Gray, “Look at this amazing 5-star service! I can’t wait to check out the villa!”

Gray nodded, whispering back, “Yeah, but I think they’re gonna be expecting a big, fat tip.” At that, Lucy’s expression changed, and she immediately tried to recall how many jewels she had brought along with her on the trip.

“I hope they accept digital tips…”

True to Romeo’s word, the drive to the resort was very scenic. Although it was a 40-minute drive, the actual distance wasn’t that great. There were two routes to get to the resort – the shorter one cut through the dense forest of the island, but which provided not much scenery, and was mostly a straight road lined with tall trees. However, the other option was a coastal route, which followed the edge of the island, hence extending the journey, but provided a magnificent view of the sea. The bright sunlight made the turquoise waters shimmer, giving the illusion of an ethereal glow. The sea stretched out to the far horizon, and if you squinted hard, you could actually see the silhouettes of faraway ships, and if you’re lucky enough, dolphins jumping into the air.

After what felt like only fifteen minutes, they arrived at their destination – The Vermillion Beachfront Villas. Romeo got out of the car, handing over the keys to a nearby valet assistant. He proceeded to open the door for Lucy and Gray, and helped to carry their luggage to the reception.

“I hope you enjoy your stay here, Miss Lucy, Mr Gray. The both of you are a very good-looking couple. Have a nice time!” Romeo bowed, smiling.

Both Lucy and Gray’s eyes bulged out of their sockets slightly, jaws dropping. Before they could correct the young driver, Romeo turned to walk off, so Gray quickly pulled his wallet from his back pocket and took out a few notes. “Romeo! This is for you, thanks for the help,” he said as he handed the notes over to Romeo.

Romeo gave a surprised look, before accepting the tip gratefully. He bowed once more, thanking Gray for his generosity, before turning to walk away.

Suddenly, Gray remembered something, but it was too late – Romeo had already walked off to chat with the valet assistants. “And we’re not a couple,” he mumbled to himself, sighing. By then, Lucy was already at the reception chatting with the concierge, so he walked towards her.

Coming up silently, he saw that the blue-haired receptionist had already checked them in and was passing Lucy the room key. _‘Oh right… there’s only one room,’_ Gray remembered. He was slightly nervous about the rooming situation, and hoped that Lucy had chosen the option of two single beds instead of one large bed, if there was even that option at all. Since they had always travelled as a group of four, it was a given that Lucy would typically room with Erza, while he roomed with Natsu. Occasionally they did stay together in a family room with two king-sized beds, but there was never a need for any of the guys to room with either girl alone.

“Here are your room keys, Miss Heartfilia. There are two separate key cards inside, one for each of you. Please don’t lose them, as that would incur a penalty fee of 5,000 jewels. With your stay, a continental buffet breakfast is provided every morning from 7am to 10am. However, if you would like to sleep in, you may let us know on the day itself and we can send a breakfast set to your villa via room service, as long as we are informed before 12pm, which is when lunch begins.

Also, you are entitled to a complimentary 1-hour couple’s massage, which you can redeem any time. Please note that you will have to call at least an hour in advance to ensure available masseurs. Lastly, we would like to invite you to a welcome dinner tonight at the Vermillion Seaview Restaurant, on the house. Dinner is any time after 6pm, but we would definitely encourage you to enjoy one of Tenrou Island’s famous sunsets over dinner, which usually begins around 6.30pm,” briefed the young receptionist, whose name tag read Wendy. She was dressed in the same colours as Romeo, donning a white blouse and maroon vest, over a black skirt. She also sported a maroon bowtie as part of her uniform. Although she delivered a large chunk of information, she maintained a steady and warm tone, pausing whenever Lucy and Gray looked like they had trouble processing what she said. The service thus far was definitely top-notch, which was befitting of a 5-star luxury resort.

“Do you have any questions regarding your stay, Miss Heartfilia, Mr…?”

“Gray, just Gray is fine,” he offered.

“Mr Gray?” Wendy asked, smiling at the both of them warmly.

Gray shook his head, but Lucy had a question. “Oh, what time do we have to check out? We have a 5pm ferry.”

Wendy nodded, expecting that question. “Our usual check-out time is 12pm, but since you have a late ferry, and there is no guest booking after you, we can make an exception and allow you a late check-out time of 3pm. We can also arrange a complimentary ride to the pier,” she offered. “Would that be acceptable?”

“Yes, thank you so much! That’s fantastic, and it would be great if you could arrange that ride please,” Lucy responded happily.

“You’re very welcome, Miss Heartfilia. Please follow my colleague, Carla, who will show you to your villa. Have a pleasant stay, Miss Heartfilia, Mr Gray!” she bowed, before gesturing to a lady with platinum blonde hair standing beside the reception desk, who was wearing the same uniform.

“This way, please,” Carla greeted them with a slight bow, turning to walk in the direction of the guest villas as Lucy and Gray followed in anticipation.

* * *

“This. Is. Amazing,” Lucy breathed, stepping through a sliding glass door that opened up to a sun deck, which was directly connected to the resort’s private stretch of beach. She simply stood there, transfixed by the view and still blown away by how lucky she was to have won this vacation.

Carla had led them to their villa, and given them a quick tour of the room and its amenities before taking her leave. While walking to their room, they realized that each villa was located quite a distance away from one another, which ensured sufficient privacy for its occupants. Each villa had its own short stretch of beach, furnished with a large, luxurious lounge bed, equipped with side tables for guests who wanted to enjoy a drink or snack while relaxing.

The room itself was spacious and beautifully decorated, following a rustic minimalist theme. Upon entering, a frosted glass door to the right of the short corridor revealed a large bathroom, equipped with an open-air rainshower and two marble sinks – allowing couples to have their own space while washing up. The room then opened up into a main chamber where a king-sized four-poster canopy bed laid in the middle, soft translucent curtains draping over wooden posts.

Facing the bed was a 55” television mounted on the wall, providing entertainment options for couples who wanted to simply laze in bed, or literally Netflix and chill. A well-stocked minibar stood next to the television. From there, a set of sliding glass doors separated the air-conditioned room from the exterior – a wide sun deck that led directly to the beach via a short flight of steps. On the right side of the sun deck was a round coffee table with two chairs, meant for guests to relax and enjoy the view and sea breeze. To the left was Lucy’s favourite amenity – a large, round, jacuzzi. It was definitely big enough to fit two adults, and was designed for people to soak leisurely, featuring a flat top for guests to lean or place drinks on.

In other words, it was the perfect luxurious getaway for a couple to enjoy the beach, the room, and _each other_.

As Lucy stood on the sun deck appreciating view, Gray helped to bring Lucy’s suitcase into the room, placing it under the large television. He dropped his own duffel bag onto the floor beside hers, before placing his hands on his waist, looking around the room. He raised his eyebrows as he took in the room, impressed with the resort. It was definitely luxurious enough for even a honeymoon, he thought, as slight pink dusted his cheeks. He cleared his throat slightly to remove his embarrassment.

“So, Lucy,” he began.

She turned around, meeting his eyes with a bright smile. “Yeah?”

“This is pretty insane, huh?” He ran his fingers through his tousled head of navy hair while chuckling.

She joined in, her laughter tinkling in the air. “Tell me about it! I feel like we’re on a honeymoon!” His heartbeat increased slightly as she said the words he had been thinking just a moment earlier.

“We might have a problem though… seems like this is really a couple’s resort. There’s only one bed,” he pointed out.

Lucy scrunched her nose and frowned slightly. “Ah, well, I did ask if they had a room with double beds available, but Wendy said they only had a few and they were all full. All the remaining rooms were couple’s rooms,” she said. “But I mean… the bed looks pretty big. I’m sure there’s enough space for the both of us and for some in between! Unless, you mind sharing a bed with me?” Lucy asked in a sly tone.

Gray crossed his arms. “Well, I’m good as long as you don’t snore, and don’t jump me in the middle of the night.”

Lucy walked over to the bed, picking up a pillow to throw at him. “Yeah, well, I’m not the one stripping! _I_ should be the one worried about _you_ jumping me! Can you _please_ , put your shirt back on?!” Unbeknownst to him, Gray had unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, the said piece of clothing now lying on the floor.

“Oh wha- Crap! Yeah, well, _you’re_ the one staring!” That earned him another pillow to his face.

Lucy burst into laughter at Gray’s affronted expression, his face turning red in a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. She loved making fun of the usually calm man. She found a huge kick in getting a reaction out of Gray, considering he was the complete opposite of the hothead Natsu. Gray was the more level-headed, more stoic and seemingly mature of the two guys in the group, but Lucy knew he had a childish and competitive side to him. He just needed some pushing and prodding before his more boyish nature would show up – and that side of him was what Lucy secretly had a thing for.

While she liked having thoughtful discussions with Gray, his wilder and playful nature got her excited. With less thought to his actions, Gray would usually become more spontaneous, agreeing to or even initiating things that he would usually roll his eyes at. Such as… an impromptu pillow fight.

Gray let out a grunt, his shirt laying on the floor forgotten as he picked up the pillow that had earlier hit him in the face. He threw it back at Lucy, although with less force. She caught it before it made contact, sticking her tongue out in a playful taunt at Gray’s failed attempt at revenge. He picked up the other pillow, before walking around the bed slowly towards her, like a predator hunting his prey. She grinned, her eyes dancing with mirth. Seeing him stalk closer, she climbed onto the bed, intending to crawl to the other end to escape. However, once her back faced Gray, he lunged towards her, pushing her down with a loud squeal.

She flipped over, her hands holding onto a pillow she had grabbed once she felt Gray make contact with her. Before she could bring it down on him, his fingers had flown to her sides, tickling her furiously and sending her into fits of breathless laughter.

“N-no! This is so low!” she shrieked while giggling uncontrollably, her ticklishness being her ultimate weakness, and Gray knew that. The whole group knew just how incredibly ticklish she was, and they never hesitated to use it to their advantage.

“All’s fair in love and war, Lucy,” he declared, unrelenting. “Say you’re sorry!”

“For what! Arghhhh,” she squirmed around on the bed, but she was unable to get away from Gray’s hands, with him kneeling over her, caging her body below him.

He grinned, watching her struggle in futility. “For throwing a pillow at my face!”

“No! Never!” she yelled back, although her grip on her pillow loosened, a sign of her weakening resolve. After barely half a minute more of tickling, all of her previous determination vanished. “Alright, fine! I give up! I’m sorry! Now let me g- hahahaha!” her eyes were shut tightly, her face scrunched into an expression of agony but laughter still spilled from her lips. She lowered her arms, finding Gray’s wrists, and grabbed them loosely.

He joined her in loud laughter, finally stopping his merciless ministrations, meeting her gaze as she opened her large brown eyes, which were glistening with tears from the intense laughing.

As they looked at each other, they silently realized how close they were to each other, with Gray kneeling over Lucy, his hands on either side of her torso, and her hands gripping his wrist. Both their faces were flushed from the playing, and they were panting slightly as they tried to catch their breaths.

Gray quickly backed away, sliding off the bed and turning around to face the sun deck, trying to hide his furious blush. He ran a hand through his hair, clearing his throat.

“Uh… didn’t Wendy mention something about an afternoon island-hopping tour? Maybe we should get changed and head out to ask how we can sign up for it,” he said, trying to change the atmosphere.

Lucy sat up in the bed, straightening her dress. _‘What was that about?’_ she wondered, not sure what that weird tension between her and Gray was. _‘That was weird.’_ She got off the bed, and went to her suitcase. “Yeah, she did. The tour starts at 1.30pm and ends at 5.30pm, which gives us just enough time to wash up before the welcome dinner.” She raised her wrist to check her watch. “It’s 11.30am now, so we’ve enough time to grab a quick lunch. Shall we?”

He turned back to face her, nodding. “Yeah, okay.” He took several deep breaths to try and calm his racing heart down.

* * *

Tenrou Island was the largest island off the west coast of Fiore, but around it were several smaller islands. These little islands were too small for inhabitants yet large enough for tourists to dock for several hours, and were perfect for visitors to snorkel, laze on the beach and play in the shallow waters. The afternoon island-hopping tour that Wendy had suggested for Gray and Lucy to join consisted of an island and a sand bar, with free and easy time at both beaches for the group to snorkel if they wanted to, or relax.

Gray and Lucy had grabbed a simple lunch at the resort’s café after changing into their swimsuits under their beach clothes. Or lack thereof, on Gray’s part. Gray honestly didn’t really like wearing too much clothing because he got hot easily, which often resulted in him subconsciously stripping. This diehard habit of his had been there since their days in school, with him getting slapped with detention every other week for leaving his shirt unbuttoned. If Lucy had ten jewels for every time he took off his clothes, she could very well be a millionaire by now.

Since he was going to be taking off his clothes anyway, he had opted to go shirtless. Lucy had given him a look of disbelief, asking if he was really going to walk around the resort and the café topless, but he had waved her concern away, telling her that if he had it, he might as well flaunt it. She had nothing to say in response to that, accepting that the man indeed had quite a killer bod. She would never admit it – but perhaps, deep down, there was a hint of discomfort at the idea that everyone could openly ogle him. However, she told herself that it was purely out of concern for her best friend, just concern.

The tour was a cosy group of six people, consisting of three couples. Besides Lucy and Gray, the other two couples hailed from Magnolia as well – Levy and Gajeel who were newlyweds on their honeymoon, and Makarov and Porlyusica, who were celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary. It seemed like Tenrou Island was truly every couple’s first choice. The pair were a little embarrassed when the others asked about their relationship, and they had to clarify that they were just friends on a free trip, but any observer would have seen the bright blushes and small smiles on their faces despite their outward denial.

The boat ride to the first island was a short 30 minutes, which was just nice for everyone to enjoy the sound of waves, the feel of ocean spray on their faces and the warm rays of the sun. The two younger couples had eagerly jumped into the clear waters, the cool temperature a welcome respite from the accumulated heat. The older couple chose to head to the beach instead for a leisurely stroll.

Gray was the stronger swimmer of the two, so he had gone ahead without a life jacket. Lucy chose not to wear a life jacket either so that it would be easier for her to move around, but she had some issues with water getting into her snorkel. Gray saw her struggling, so he had come back around to help her adjust her snorkel, before grabbing her hand to keep her close beside him.

The reefs were beautiful and in pristine condition, with abundant fish and colourful corals on display. Ever so often, Lucy would pull on Gray’s hand, pointing excitedly at a particular fish that swam by. Clownfish, lionfish, angel fish – name it, and there they were, staring up curiously at the two of them. Gray would follow her gaze and nod in acknowledgement, putting a bright smile on Lucy’s face.

Their favourite spot of the day was a pair of sea turtles, who were nibbling away at the corals, unaware of the two excited humans gesturing behind them. Gray was the one who spotted them first, grasping Lucy’s hand tightly as he pointed them out. Lucy had let out a small squeal, grabbing onto Gray’s shoulder in sudden excitement, holding onto him for support in the waves. His hand had snaked around her waist out of reflex, keeping her in place, as they spent the next ten minutes in the same spot, simply watching and enjoying the little creatures.

Just then, Levy and Gajeel had swum by, but the two were too engrossed in watching the turtles to notice. Gajeel saw how Gray was holding onto Lucy, and he raised an eyebrow at Levy. He let go of her hand to make a kissy motion with both hands, nodding in their direction. Levy had frowned and bopped him lightly on the head, but she wore a grin on her face as they quickly headed in another direction to give the pair some space.

The second beach the tour headed to was a small sandbar, made of pure sand, with no foliage at all. It was rather large sand bar, taking thirty minutes to walk from one end to another, but the main attraction of this spot was the large number of harmless rays swimming in the shallow waters.

The rays were everywhere – the group had to watch where they were walking in case they accidentally stepped on a baby ray. The tour guide had told them that these rays were harmless, and because there weren’t many tourists, they were pretty friendly and curious, not fearing humans at all. It was quite amazing, being able to sit in water with these beautiful, wild creatures swimming around them freely. Lucy had never experienced anything like this, and it was simply magical. Gray had worn a similar expression of awe, his gaze fixed downwards, watching the rays flutter around his hands elegantly. Despite being so close to the sea creatures, all of them were very respectful of the environment, keeping their hands to themselves without trying to touch any marine animal. The tour guide had warned that contact might affect the creatures’ wellbeing, which was something they definitely wanted to avoid.

Time flew by, and before they even knew it, the four hours were almost over as they all loaded onto their speedboat to head back to the resort. Lucy sighed happily as she stretched her legs out, closing her eyes. She definitely didn’t imagine her weekend to be anything like this, just two days ago. What a crazy, impromptu trip! Natsu and Erza were totally missing out, and she grinned to herself as she imagined how their forlorn expressions would look like when she and Gray got back with their stories.

She heard some ruffling before she felt a large, fluffy towel being placed around her wet shoulders. She opened her eyes to see Gray take a seat beside her, the resort’s towel similarly draped over his shoulders. He leaned back in his seat, stretching his arms out along the bench, with one behind Lucy.

“Thanks, Gray! Did you have fun today?” Lucy asked, looking at him. She realized his cheeks and nose were red, signs of a sunburn. Scrunching her nose and feeling a tinge of pain, she was certain that her face was just as red as his.

He gave a lazy smile, with his eyes half-closed. “Yeah, it was great. But being out under the sun the whole afternoon is tiring, I’m so ready for a nap.”

Lucy nodded, feeling fatigue set in as well. It had been a long day for the both of them, especially since they had gotten up pretty early that morning to catch their ferry. But of course, it was a nice kind of tired. As the boat sped off towards Tenrou Island, Lucy let herself lean against Gray, feeling him nod off while she looked out at the horizon, savouring the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter contained quite a lot of description, but I wanted to make sure the pace was believable while also wanting to slip in little cues of Gray's attentiveness and thoughtfulness towards Lucy, so that you can get a glimpse of how I perceive their friendship to be! 
> 
> I will be posting the next chapter on Wednesday, which will be Part 2 :) 
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


	3. Tenrou Island (II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here’s Chapter 3, on time! It’s a continuation of Gray & Lucy’s fun activities on Tenrou Island! This chapter is a pretty long one – and I promise plenty of fluff and progression between our favourite couple. 
> 
> Side-note, I’ve been trying my hardest to churn out my submissions for the upcoming GrayLu Weekend 2020, and I’m quite stoked to be participating in such an event for the first time ever! I’m not done yet though – still working hard :D

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

** Tenrou Island (II) **

Forty-five minutes later, they were back on the main island. It was exactly 5.30pm, which was when the tour was slated to end. Gray and Lucy bade farewell to the other two couples and the tour guide, but not before trading contact details with Gajeel and Levy. Since they were all from Magnolia, and they still had another day on the island, Lucy and Levy decided to keep each other’s contacts handy just in case they wanted to meet up for a group activity.

The sky was about to enter the golden hour, with faint pink and orange hues starting to appear along the edges of the horizon. Not wanting to miss the spectacular Tenrou Island sunset, Lucy hurried Gray back to their hotel to wash up, so they could enjoy their complimentary dinner against the backdrop of the setting sun.

“Welcome to the Vermillion Seaview Restaurant, Miss Heartfilia, Mr Gray,” a young lilac-haired waitress greeted with a smile, the name tag on her uniform reading Laki. “I’m Laki, and I will be your server for tonight. Would you prefer a table outside or inside?”

“Outside, please,” Lucy replied, returning the waitress’ smile. She turned to look back at Gray, making sure that he was following behind her as Laki led them to a beautifully-set table located along the beach.

The Vermillion Seaview Restaurant was a two-story restaurant, with the first floor being designed in an open concept, which included a small stage for a live band and a well-stocked bar. There was a section of dining tables for guests who were there for meals, and another section of cocktail tables and sofa tables for guests who were just there to enjoy casual drinks. There was also a section of tables located on the beach itself, for guests who wanted an alfresco dining experience. Most of the younger couples and families tended to opt for first-floor seating, as the atmosphere was livelier.

The second floor was air-conditioned and closed, but featured floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing diners to still enjoy the view despite being indoors. This option was more popular with the older couples, who wanted to eat comfortably without too much noise around them.

As Laki helped to pull a chair out for Lucy, another waiter assisted with pulling the other chair out for Gray. Lucy was very happy that they had been given a table with an unobstructed view of the shoreline and the setting sun.

Laki finished with placing their napkins on each of their laps, before starting to introduce the dinner courses. “Welcome to Vermillion Beachfront Villas, and I hope that you both have had an enjoyable first day so far! Tonight, we would like to provide you with a complimentary three-course welcome dinner on the house to thank you for your kind patronage. Before I share more about the options available, may I ask if either of you have any dietary restrictions?”

When she saw both of them shake their heads, she continued. “Thank you for letting me know! For tonight, you have the choice of either a seafood-based or meat-based selection. There will be a total of three courses, comprising a starter, a main course and a dessert. There is also a selection of wines available for your enjoyment, which you can choose, or alternatively, allow our in-house sommelier to recommend the best choices to complement your dishes.” She turned to Lucy first, asking, “Miss Heartfilia, would you like the seafood or meat option?”

Lucy thought for a moment, meeting Gray’s gaze. Tenrou Island was famous for its fresh seafood, so that was definitely her first choice. She hoped Gray would pick the other option though, because she still wanted to try the other selection. “I’d like the seafood please.”

Laki nodded, turning to Gray next. “How about you, Mr Gray? Would you like the seafood or the meat option?”

“I’ll have the meat option please, thank you.” Having known Lucy for ten years, he knew that she definitely wanted to try both options. Since she had chosen the seafood selection, it made sense for him to pick the other one so they could share and try both. Besides, Lucy didn’t have that big an appetite, so he would end up eating most of the food anyway. He gave a knowing smirk at Lucy as he saw her eyes light up, who realised that they were on the same page.

“Definitely! So Miss Heartfilia will be having the seafood selection, while Mr Gray will be having the meat selection. Would you like to pick your own wines, or would you prefer our in-house sommelier to recommend some options?”

“Surprise us,” Lucy replied chirpily.

“Alright then,” Laki finished taking their orders with a smile. “Please sit back, relax and enjoy the Tenrou Island sunset, and I’ll be bringing your starters shortly. Do feel free to let me know if you require anything at all. Have a wonderful dinner, Miss Heartfilia, and Mr Gray.” She turned to take her leave.

As they settled back in their cushioned seats, both Gray and Lucy turned their gazes to the glimmering water, taking in the vibrant hues of red, orange, pink and purple splashed across the sky. The sun was a glowing orb of gold, its edges glimmering in the far distance. During the time they took to wash up and get to the restaurant, it had already begun its descent, and now it was starting to disappear below the horizon. Seeing this wallpaper-worthy view with their own eyes helped them to understand why Tenrou Island’s sunsets were so famous around the country – the golden disc looked unbelievably large against the warm watercolour backdrop, lighting up a glowing path on the water with its rays, and the silhouettes of faraway boats completed the picturesque landscape.

Gray couldn’t help the warm feeling that bubbled up in his chest, indescribably happy that he was able to experience this with Lucy. Although it’s not like he would enjoy the view any less if Natsu and Erza were here, but somehow, being here with Lucy alone, made the whole experience more magical. It was just different altogether, and it didn’t help that the entire resort and trip was planned for a couple, which kept putting images into his head. Throughout the day, he kept wondering what it was like if they had been a couple instead – would they have been holding hands? Would they have taken more photos together? Would they have shared little kisses while appreciating the sunset?

At the same time, Natsu’s words to him kept lingering at the back of his mind. Natsu had told him to use this chance well, knowing that Gray had feelings for Lucy. Trust him, he definitely wanted to make his feelings known, but the last thing he wanted was for the friendship they had to change. If confessing would destroy this friendship they had built, he would willingly keep his feelings hidden away forever. He let out a sigh subconsciously, frustrated at how affairs of the heart were so complicated.

His sigh caught Lucy’s attention. She had been sitting there quietly, thinking about the last two days, about Dan, and about her most recent attempts at finding love, but thinking about that jerk made her annoyed all over again, so she gave up on being introspective. “Why are you sighing?” she asked.

Gray looked over in surprise – he hadn’t realized he had sighed out loud. “Uh, nothing,” he lied. “Now I know why everyone says you’ve gotta catch the sunset on Tenrou Island at least once in your life,” he said, changing the topic.

Lucy nodded in agreement. “Yeah, totally, look at the colours. I’ve never seen a sunset this beautiful before!”

“It also looks like it’s going to be a clear night, since the clouds from this afternoon are gone. Do you wanna do some stargazing later when it’s dark?” Gray asked.

“Of course!” replied Lucy excitedly. “I hope the moon isn’t too bright so we’ll be able to see the Milky Way.”

“Hey Lucy,” Gray started, but he paused, unsure how to word his question properly without giving Lucy the wrong idea.

“Hmm? What’s up?” She looked over curiously. “Also, why is your t-shirt off?”

“Argh! Oops.” Apparently his nervousness had gotten the better of him, and he had absent-mindedly taken off his shirt by reflex once he started feeling slightly warm. He quickly put his t-shirt back on, before running a hand through his hair. “How do you think this trip would be different if Natsu and Erza were here?”

“Oh, hmm…” Lucy hummed to herself, thinking about his question. Just then, Laki came by with their starters, placing a bowl of soup in front of each of them. She gave a short introduction to the dish, after which taking a small lighter out of her pocket to light up the candles that were on their tables. The sun had set by then, basking the beach in a dusky glow.

After taking a few sips of her soup, she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, before answering Gray’s earlier question. “Well, I didn’t actually think about that, but I guess if Natsu and Erza were here, we would be a whole lot louder?” she said, a smile in her voice. “Erza would be mothering all of us, and I’ll be kept busy trying to stop you and Natsu from arguing all the time! And, well, things would definitely be a lot less romantic, and people won’t think we’re a couple.”

Gray wiped his mouth with his own napkin, and passed his bowl of soup over to Lucy. “Try this, it’s good. Yeah, it’s great that Squinty Eyes isn’t here, or not he’ll be super embarrassing. But um, yeah, this is kinda romantic, isn’t it… Maybe it might be better if they were here?” his voice ended in a question, wanting to know what she thought.

“It’s nice though,” Lucy added, feeling a need to reassure Gray despite what she had said earlier. “Hanging out in town with you for a couple of hours is quite different from being on an overnight trip, and I’m glad you were able to do this with me. We’re comfortable with each other, and you know me so well.” She tried Gray’s soup, licking her lips in approval. “Wow! This is really good! Here, have some of mine. It’s a bisque.”

He exchanged their bowls. “Of course I know you well, but do you know me well?” he teased slyly.

“Are you testing me, Gray?!” Lucy asked incredulously. “Oh you can actually finish my soup, I’m saving some space for the main course.”

“Oh, okay. This bisque is so good,” he said as he finished the rest of Lucy’s starter course. “Yes, I’m testing you. What’s the food that I hate most?”

She rolled her eyes at him, her face showing an expression of exasperation. “It’s obviously spicy food, everyone knows you can’t eat anything spicy for nuts! You know what, I recently read some article in a magazine, and it was on questions that best friends should ask each other, to deepen the friendship. It has super personal questions that we don’t usually talk about when we meet up. Since you think I don’t know you well enough… do you wanna try?” she smiled mischievously, winking at him.

Gray raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. How personal could questions in some magazine be? “Sure,” he shrugged. “You’re not going to ask me what colour of underwear I’m wearing, are you? I’m not gonna say,” he warned.

Lucy’s jaw dropped as she looked at him in disbelief. “I don’t think I’d have to ask you about that if you keep stripping!”

Just then, Laki came by with another waiter, the one who had earlier assisted her in seating them. He cleared their empty soup bowls, making space for Laki to place their main courses in front of them. “Here’s the seafood platter, for you, Miss Heartfilia, and here’s your meat selection, Mr Gray. How was the starter?”

Both Gray and Lucy smiled widely back at Laki, assuring her that the soups were amazing. She bowed, thanking them before leaving the table. The starting strains of some music floated through the air, and upon looking around, they realized that a roving quartet had begun making their rounds to each table of diners.

“Okay, try me,” Gray challenged. He ignored her jab at his stripping tendencies.

Lucy cut into her dish, popping a piece of fish into her mouth. A burst of flavour erupted on her tongue, and her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly cut a piece for Gray, holding it out on her fork, until he stretched forward to take it in his mouth. His expression mirrored hers, his navy orbs holding genuine shock at the unexpected flavour explosion. Even the food in the resort was worth five stars.

She ate a piece of scallop before she continued. “If you could change something about yourself, what would you change?”

He cocked his head, confused. “You mean physically? Like through plastic surgery?”

“Nope, it doesn’t have to be a physical aspect. It can be anything – maybe a body part, a personality trait, a quirk, or even a bad habit,” she said this pointedly. “But remember, the point is to share something about yourself that you’ve not shared before, so that we can get to know more about each other. Even though we’ve already been friends for a decade.”

Gray furrowed his brows, thinking about Lucy’s question seriously. Bodily wise, sure, there’s definitely something he would like to change, his height for example. It wouldn’t hurt if he could be taller. But if there was one thing about him in general that he wanted to change, and would affect his life… “I think I’d want to be a bit more like Natsu. Ridiculous I know,” he scoffed, knowing exactly how that sounded. “But sometimes I wish I could be a little more rash, a little less careful and less worried about consequences of my actions. Sometimes I envy Natsu – despite being stupid and always getting into trouble, he gets to live in the moment each day.”

“But that’s what’s special about you,” Lucy replied. “You keep the balance in the group by being who you are. You keep us grounded, heck, you keep Natsu’s head in the right place,” she laughed. “You never know, maybe not thinking about the consequences can actually leave you with more regrets.”

“That’s true. Yeah, sometimes I wish for that, but then majority of the time, I’m thankful I’m not Natsu.” They both broke into laughter, imagining some of their crazy friend’s antics.

Back in Magnolia, Natsu was stricken with a sudden sneezing fit. Happy, his cat, mewled in curiosity, watching his owner double over as he sneezed five times consecutively. “Someone’s definitely speaking bad of me,” he muttered to his little cat.

“Is it my turn to ask a question?” Gray asked.

Lucy nodded in affirmation. “Yeah. So similar to what I asked, you can ask me anything – it can be theoretical, emotional, whatever.”

Gray took a couple of moments to think, before asking, “What's a secret that even I don't know?”

His question made Lucy choke on her food. She coughed hard, patting herself on her chest to clear her airway.

“Hey, are you okay?!” Gray asked out of concern.

She nodded, clearing her throat. “Sorry, I’m fine – your question just took me by surprise. What kind of question is that?!”

“I thought it was supposed to help me find out things that I didn’t know about you,” he defended, his eyes gazing unblinkingly into her wide brown orbs.

Lucy blushed slightly under his steady stare, suddenly shy. Well, he wasn’t wrong. Why did he have to be so sharp? “Y-yeah, I guess. I just didn’t think you’d ask such a direct question, but I have to admit it’s a good one. Hmm, let me think.”

They ate their main courses in silence, enjoying the music playing in the background that was coming from the quartet, now playing only a few tables away. Gray cut a few bite-sized pieces of his medium rare steak and placed them onto Lucy’s plate. In turn, she passed two prawns and more fish over to him, which he acknowledged with a small smile.

His smile made Lucy’s heart beat a little faster. Caught up in the restaurant’s ambience, the glowing candles lighting up their table, the cooling breeze that was ruffling both their hair, the beautiful music and the exquisite meal, Lucy felt like she was floating along in a dream. She was almost giddy with happiness, still in disbelief over the fact that she was here, right now, living the luxurious island life. And most importantly, she was there with Gray.

From the minute they left Magnolia, he had shown himself to be the perfect gentleman. Although he was a man of few words, and he wasn’t as vocally expressive as Natsu was, all his little actions spoke volumes on his behalf. And right now, as they enjoyed a romantic candlelit dinner, she could actually picture herself with Gray – not as friends, but as a couple in a romantic relationship. At that point in time, she came to a startling realization. As she stole little glances at him, admiring his chiselled jaw and striking features, she found that she didn’t mind all the assumptions from others that they were together. In fact, she had already given up on correcting people. Perhaps… having Gray as a boyfriend wouldn’t be so bad, would it?

She shook her head slightly as she tried to remove those thoughts from her mind. Where did those come from?! She was just being ridiculous – they’ve known each other for ten years and not once did they try to make a move on each other. Then again, it was unchartered territory – they’ve never actually asked if anyone within the group ever had feelings for one another.

Trying to distract herself, she put her cutlery down, ready to answer Gray’s question. “Okay, I’ve got it. But you have to promise not to judge, and everything we say stays on this island,” she warned.

He finished his meal and mirrored her actions, placing his own cutlery down neatly. “Okay, my lips are sealed,” he smirked.

Lucy took a deep breath to gather herself. “I… write fanfiction. Um, fanfiction with… smut.

“Fan…fiction? Smut? What’s that?” Gray knitted his eyebrows together, not understanding her secret.

She huffed in embarrassment, reluctant to explain but knowing she had no choice. “Fanfiction is basically fictional stories with borrowed characters from a movie, show, game or similar, written by fans. And well, smut is, um, you know, rated scenes, in words…” her voice trailed off.

Understanding dawned upon Gray as his eyes widened and his eyebrows went from being knitted closely together to up high into his navy bangs. “What? Lucy, you write porn?”

“GRAY! Keep your voice down!” Lucy hurriedly shushed him with an expression that was a mix of embarrassment and horror. “You don’t have to announce it to the whole restaurant!

Gray laughed out loud in amusement. “No shit, Lucy, I can’t believe you’re actually a closet pervert! And you still call me out for my stripping habit? I think we’re pretty much even,” he guffawed. Seeing her affronted look, he calmed himself down. “Okay, sorry, I’m not judging. It was just, unexpected, that’s all. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

She rolled her eyes at him, looking irritated yet actually similarly amused by the whole situation. Her friends knew she liked to write, but fanfiction was her guilty pleasure – she usually wrote those stories late at night. Gray was the first and only person who knew of this hobby of hers, and she intended to keep it that way. One person knowing was already one person too many!

She was about to give a snarky reply, when she heard Gray say, “This question game is fun. I like it.” Looking up and expecting a sly smirk, she was instead met with a genuine grin from him, which warmed her heart. She couldn’t help but grin back, her eyes softening subconsciously.

They continued their little questionnaire, coming up with impromptu questions that sometimes elicited deep answers, revealing parts of themselves that the other never knew about. Sometimes, the questions were downright hilarious – Gray’s personal favourite was “If you could be any object, which would you be and why?” Lucy had chosen to be a pen, because she liked to write, and also she said that she could be held by her owner every day. Gray had made fun of her sentimentality, calling her clingy, but his answer revealed his own closet pervert tendencies – he had chosen to be a bra. In his own words, “Isn’t that better than being a pen? I’ll be able to provide my owner with support and be kept close to her heart.” Lucy’s exaggerated expression of disgust to that deserved to be immortalized.

Laki came by to take away their empty plates again, bringing with her their last course of the night – an intricate dessert that was as delicious as it was beautifully styled. Just then, the roving quartet finally arrived at their table, bowing with a flourish as they greeted the pair enthusiastically.

“Good evening, Miss Heartfilia and Mr Gray,” the lead singer, a young lady, had a lilting voice even as she spoke, and was accompanied by two male guitarists and a female violinist. Gray was very impressed with how each of the staff in the resort could remember all their guests’ names, even though the exclusivity of the resort did ensure a small number of visitors. “May we serenade you lovely couple with a love song on this beautiful night?”

The pair turned pink, as Lucy nodded shyly. With her agreement, the quartet broke into song. Both Lucy and Gray paused in their eating, giving the band their full attention, enraptured by the lovely music that surrounded them. They had chosen a classic love song, Beauty & The Beast.

Halfway through the song, as the band started playing an instrumental segment, the lead singer came over to take Lucy’s hand, pulling her to her feet gently. She went over to pull Gray up as well, encouraging them to start dancing along with the music. Gray looked terribly awkward as he stood there, unsure what to do, so the singer decided to take it upon herself to push the pair together. She grabbed Lucy’s hands and placed them on Gray’s shoulders, while similarly grabbing Gray’s to place them on Lucy’s waist. Restarting her singing, she smiled broadly at them, nodding at them to start dancing.

They didn’t have much experience in dancing, but not wanting to be a spoilsport, Lucy decided to just go with the flow. She was there to let her hair down and have fun, so that was exactly what she was going to do. Plus she was there with one of her best friends – if anything, she would rather be embarrassed in front of him. What’s the worst that could happen?

She began to sway, nudging Gray to follow along. He was reluctant at first – this was something he would never, ever do on a normal basis – but Lucy’s enthusiasm was infectious, he had some wine in his system, and he could hardly decline the lead singer’s invitation, even if merely out of politeness. Lucy could see the apprehension on his face as his feet started to move, but she smiled reassuringly at him to try and ease his discomfort.

They moved in tandem, taking simple steps left and right that didn’t require too much coordination. Gray began to feel more comfortable, and relaxed the tension in shoulders. His arms moved to encircle her waist, while Lucy shifted to rest her hands loosely behind Gray’s neck. They shared a happy smile, blushing as some waitstaff cooed at them. Lucy rested her head gently on Gray’s warm chest, deciding to give in to her impulses. She could faintly hear his heartbeat through his shirt – she was glad that he had somehow managed to keep his clothes on for this dinner.

As the song drew to a close, Lucy pulled away from Gray, intending to return to their seats. However, the lead singer wasn’t done with them yet. She came over, and grasping one of their wrists in each hand, she said, “Now, now, let’s have the princess and prince share true love’s kiss!”

Lucy’s mouth dropped open, wanting to protest and clarify that they weren’t together, but Gray beat her to it. He took a step towards Lucy, and placing a hand on her cheek, he leaned in… to kiss her softly on her right cheek. Lucy’s breath caught in her throat.

“That’s all for now, folks. Everything else is not for show,” Gray joked, smiling at the quartet. They laughed in response, giving him knowing glances and smirks. Gray took his wallet out from his pocket and pulled out several notes, giving them a tip for their lovely performance. They bowed in thanks, before moving to the next table.

Lucy knew her cheeks were on fire, and was extremely thankful for the low lighting. She was probably looking like a fresh tomato right then. They returned to their seats, and tucked back into their dessert course. While finishing what’s left of their dessert, they chatted jovially about the resort and their excellent service, intentionally skirting the topic of what happened earlier, but their quick pulses was evidence that it was etched in their minds.

By the time they finished dinner, it was nearing 9pm. After four glasses of wine each, both Lucy and Gray were slightly tipsy, bearing red flushes on their cheeks and chest. They decided to make their way back to their room to freshen up and hopefully get some of the alcohol out of their system before going stargazing.

The path back to their villa was dimly lit, as the resort prided itself on being eco-friendly. In fact, on Tenrou Island, bright lights were hardly necessary as the moon’s brightness would typically be more than sufficient to bathe the entire island with natural light. However as it happened, that weekend was during the new moon, which rendered the lunar body invisible, and the paths dark.

As they strolled towards their room leisurely, Lucy tripped over a loose rock and almost fell, if it wasn’t for Gray who quickly caught her. She made contact with his bare chest instead – his shirt had been promptly removed and tied around his waist upon leaving the restaurant. The alcohol had warmed him up, giving him a reason to strip.

“Oi, are you okay?” he asked, his voice rough.

“Mmm,” she mumbled in response.

Not trusting her inhibited judgement, he sighed and righted her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to give her extra support. A warm breath escaped her as she leaned into his hold.

“This is nice, Gray,” she said as she looked up at him with half-lidded eyes and a lazy smile. It was clear that she was obviously still feeling the effects of the wine.

He held her tight as he took a step forward, resuming their walk. “Yeah, yeah, this service isn’t for free ya know,” he told her, although pink dusted his cheeks.

When they finally reached their villa, Gray let go of Lucy, taking a moment to ensure she could stand on her own two feet. He pulled out the card key from his wallet, and tapped it against the automatic lock. However, nothing happened

He frowned as he tried tapping the card key again. Still, the door didn’t unlock itself. He muttered to himself as he took out his wallet to double check if he had taken out the right card. Ascertaining that it was indeed the right one, he tried twice more before grunting in annoyance.

“Hey Lucy, I think the lock’s spoilt. We need to go back to the reception and ask for help.” He turned around, expecting to see Lucy waiting for him, but she was nowhere to be found.

He panicked, wondering if Lucy had wandered off somewhere in her tipsy state. Quickly stuffing his wallet back into his pocket, he looked around frantically, trying to spot a head of blonde hair. Out of the blue, girly giggles floated through the air, seemingly coming from the direction of the next villa further down the dark path. Stepping in that direction, the giggles got louder, until he realized that it was Lucy, and she was watching him come towards her, while standing in front of another villa’s door. Just as he was about to chide her for trespassing into someone else’s unit, she pointed a finger at him.

“You dummy! THIS is our room, not that one!”

Looking up at the door number, he realized she was right, despite her inebriation. He paused, trying to think of how to get out of the embarrassing situation in a cool way, but Lucy wasn’t having any of it. She knew him too well – he hated being caught in embarrassing situations and his first instinct was always to try and play it off as coolly as possible. But now that it was just the two of them, she wasn’t going to let him get away with it.

“Gray, I didn’t know your alcohol tolerance was so low,” she teased, a playful note in her voice.

His head snapped towards her, a gleam in his eye. “What did you just say?”

She placed a hand on her hips. “I said, I thought you could hold your alcohol better than that,” she sighed. “Now I need to look after your drunk butt.”

His eyes narrowed, before he suddenly took a big stride towards her, pushing her back against the villa door and caging her within his hold as his hands landed hard on either side of her head. “I’m not drunk,” he drawled in a low voice, his face hovering mere inches from hers.

“Yes, you are. You went to the wrong villa and thought it was ours,” she returned, meeting his navy orbs with her own brown ones, not backing off.

“It was too dark, I couldn’t see the number on the door.”

“If you’re not drunk, then why did you kiss me on the cheek just now during dinner?”

His mouth dropped open slightly at her direct question – he was taken by surprise. He didn’t know how to respond to that, but from her expectant look, it seemed like she was waiting for a reply. Truth be told, he had kissed her willingly, but how could he tell her that without making it seem like he was making inappropriate advances on her? What if she got creeped out, especially since he had never once mentioned any inclinations towards her?

As much as he wanted to brush it off and blame it on the alcohol, he knew that this trip was his perfect – if not only – chance of showing her how he felt. He had to make the most of this chance, and use it well, as Natsu had told him.

“That… that wasn’t because I was drunk. I did it because I wanted to, and you looked so beautiful and happy in that moment. I’m sorry if it was weird,” he admitted and apologized awkwardly at the same time. He had never felt awkward with Lucy before, but on this trip he had already somehow found himself in these situations more than once.

Lucy didn’t think Gray would explain himself, seeing as how he was a person who didn’t like talking about emotions and feelings. She was pleasantly surprised when he opened up to her. This was a side of him that he never usually let out, because he hated being vulnerable, and she was touched that he decided to do it for her.

Placing a hand softly on his cheek, she murmured, “It wasn’t weird. I liked it, it was kind of sweet. It made me happy.” She wanted to be as open to him as he was to her.

His breath caught in his throat. “Yeah?” He had to make sure he heard her right.

Lucy nodded. “Yeah. But I think the lady said it had to be true love’s kiss, and I don’t think any princesses were woken up by a kiss on the cheek.”

Was she saying what he thought she was saying…? Gray stared at her, his hands still placed against the door, on either side of her head. The night was quiet, save the little crickets singing, and the distant sounds of waves lapping against the shore.

“Lucy… Can I kiss you?” he whispered.

Her response was silent, as she raised her remaining hand to cup his other cheek. Her eyes lowered to find his lips, and she leaned in slowly until her lips brushed softly against his.

His heart was beating wildly as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. His other hand went around the back of her head, holding her delicately as he responded to her gentle kiss. As she melted into his hold, he relished the feeling of her soft form pressed against his muscular frame, the intoxicating fragrance of her scent, and the heavenly taste of her sweet mouth that still carried a hint of the earlier wine. She was an angel contained in an woman’s body, and she had him wrapped around her pinky without her even trying.

Their lips were careful, moving slowly against each other without being too forward, unsure how far the other wanted to go. It was a deliberate, intentional dance of mouths, an experimental meeting between two souls who were hesitant, but with the desire for more.

Lucy let out a soft moan, opening her mouth to give Gray permission to explore more. He took her cue, and deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue in to meet hers. He was so gentle, coaxing her to dance with him, unlike other guys’ who would seek to exert their dominance. His fingers were woven into her head of gold hair, gently running through her silken strands. Her own hands found their way into his bed of tousled navy hair, which were delightfully soft under her touch. She definitely needed to ask what kind of conditioner he used to keep his hair so smooth! She loved the feeling of his cool mouth against hers, while his touch heated her skin up to a fiery temperature.

Finally, Gray pulled away, reluctant but needing to breathe. He held her close, panting, and leant his forehead against hers. Lucy kept her eyes closed, her lips parted as she similarly tried to catch her breath, with a beautiful smile adorning her face.

“Lucy… Are you okay?” Gray broke the silence with a whispered question. That kiss was as amazing as he imagined kissing her would be – or even more spectacular in person than in his imagination, actually – but he wasn’t sure if he had gone too far. He didn’t want it to be a case of a drunken impulse on her part, with regrets following after… and especially not when he had enjoyed it so much.

She opened her eyes, startling him when he met her watery gaze. Oh shucks, did he make her cry? Did she really regret it? Was it a mistake? A heavy feeling immediately settled upon his heart.

“Lucy, why are you crying? I’m so sorry,” he started apologetically, removing his forehead from hers. Before he could move further, she quickly wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, pulling him close. Gray jolted in surprise, not expecting Lucy to react the complete opposite of what he thought she was feeling.

She giggled, her hot breath tickling his neck. “I’m okay, silly. There’s nothing to be sorry for. That… was really nice. I really liked it,” she half-whispered the last part into his ear, blushing profusely.

A sigh of relief escaped him. He was glad that she seemed open to his affection, and was even returning it. Although they were still somewhat treading on confusing ground, with the both of them seemingly attracted to each other but yet not defining their relationship, he was happy that things between them haven’t changed. Well, that was definitely a score in his opinion. Now that he knew Lucy was as interested in him as he was in her, his confidence received a big boost.

He hugged her back, kissing her hair. “So, what do you wanna do now? Do you still want to go stargazing?” He looked up at the sky, appreciating the cloudless expanse and the millions of bright dots twinkling back at him. “The stars are really beautiful tonight, Lucy. Look up.”

She lifted her head to see what Gray was looking at, and let out a gasp at the awe-inspiring view. “Wow,” she breathed. Her brown eyes were wide with unconcealed amazement, the starlight reflecting in her shining orbs. Those beautiful eyes moved to look at Gray, prompting him to look down at her. “Actually, Gray, there’s something I’ve always wanted to try.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her mysteriousness. “What?”

She cleared her throat. “I, uh, I’ve always wanted try skinny-dipping,” she admitted bashfully.

“Huh? You mean you’ve never gone skinny-dipping?” he asked, voice laced with obvious disbelief.

“No… it’s embarrassing and I’ve never had the occasion to try it! It’s not like I could have gone swimming naked with you and Natsu and Erza right?” she huffed in indignance, before realizing something. “Wait, you’ve done it before? When?” she asked suspiciously.

He shrugged casually with an uninterested expression on his face. “Huh. I do it all the time. It’s awesome to go swimming without wearing stupid tight swimming trunks.”

“I should have known, with your stupid stripping habit. Why am I not surprised?” she muttered, as she face-palmed. “But uh, I do want to try it, and um, since our villa is private and all, I was thinking maybe we could do it tonight? And maybe stargaze from the water? It would be nice,” she suggested shyly. “If you don’t mind, of course.”

He grinned impishly at her, a naughty glint entering his eyes that made Lucy slightly nervous. “What are you talking about? Why would I turn down a chance to go swimming with a beautiful naked girl?” His fingers immediately went to untie his shirt from his waist, before moving down to his pants, ready to strip.

“WAIT!” Lucy half-yelled, trying to stop him before he took everything off in front of her. “N-not here! In the w-water, later,” she stuttered out nervously. “And I need to get changed into my swimsuit! Give me the key!” She snatched the card key from Gray’s hand, escaping into the villa in a fluster. Gray watched as she scurried away, chuckling lightly as he entered after the silly girl.

* * *

“Lucy, does it feel good?” a smooth baritone sounded in the dark night.

“Mmm… yeah,” she let out a contented moan.

“That’s good. Are you ready to do it?”

“I… I think so.”

“Okay, I’m going to take it off now…”

Lucy could feel her cheeks heating up as she submerged her body lower into the warm waters of the ocean, her fingers finding the waist band of her bikini bottom. She took hold of it and pulled it off, her legs lifting to shimmy out of the piece of clothing. Turning to look over at Gray, who was doing the same thing with his swim shorts, she held up her bikini bottom to prove that she had indeed taken it off. He grinned, his own pants dripping water down his arm as he raised his in return. Now, they were both fully naked, bobbing along with the gentle waves.

After Gray agreed to her suggestion of skinny-dipping and stargazing in the ocean, they had quickly gotten changed into their swimsuits, before heading out onto the private stretch of beach that was directly connected to the sun deck of their villa. The villa was designed to provide guests with the ultimate luxurious experience, which includes convenient access to the resort’s private beach at any time they wished, at their own risk, of course. The good thing about this end of Tenrou Island was that it was part of a bay, which meant the waters were generally calmer than out in the open sea.

The waters were surprisingly warm despite it being late at night, having been warmed by the sun’s rays in the day. After slipping into the water, Gray had told her to try taking off her top first to see how it felt. Lucy had felt uncomfortable in the beginning, but after some moments, she had gotten used to the feeling of water lapping against her bare body. In fact, it felt good not having to deal with the weight of her bikini being tied around her neck, especially with having to support a generous chest like hers.

And now that Gray had joined her in removing their swim bottoms, they were officially _skinny-dipping_. Lucy laughed out loud at the sheer frivolity of what they were doing, relishing this sweet feeling of freedom – the freedom to swim without clothing, the freedom to do whatever she wanted on this island, and most importantly, the freedom of realizing that she actually harboured feelings for her best friend, Gray.

She looked over at him, who was currently leaning back against the sand, swaying in the water and engrossed with admiring the sky of stars. She studied his profile, noting his defined jaw, deep-set eyes, and sharp nose. Her eyes travelled down to his broad shoulders, resting on his lean but muscular arms. She didn’t miss the warmth that was blossoming in her chest, as she watched him with a fond gaze. She didn’t know she could fall in love with a man in less than 24 hours – but well, it didn’t actually take place in 24 hours. She had been gradually falling in love with this gorgeous man over the last ten years, but it took her the last 24 hours to realise that.

And with this realization came this incredible feeling of freedom – she didn’t have to search high and low for love anymore; she didn’t have to be someone who she’s not anymore; she didn’t have to feel dejected or unwanted anymore – because everything she was looking for, had been literally right under her nose. She had never felt so free before in her life, until now.

Lucy waded slowly over to Gray, careful not to disturb the water around them. She had always suspected his feelings for her, but she never said anything because she didn’t want to risk their friendship, nor the group’s. But now that his feelings were clear, and she knew where her own heart lay, she wasn’t going to pretend anymore. After all, they were mature adults, and she was tired of playing games when it came to affairs of the heart. She had always found the process tiring.

She slipped behind him, and placed her hands softly on his shoulders, making him jerk upright in shock. “Oh what the f- oh Lucy, it’s just you,” he realized in relief. “I thought it was some fish or thing!”

She snickered at his untypical timidity. Placing some pressure on his shoulders, her fingers began kneading his tense muscles.

“What’s up? What did I do to deserve this free massage? Is it part of the lucky draw package?” he joked, relaxing under Lucy’s skilled fingers.

She smiled, although he couldn’t see it. “Well, this is to thank you for agreeing to come with me on this trip. And for being by my side for the last ten years.”

He quirked an eyebrow, angling his head back to glance at her. “Why are you suddenly so sentimental? What do you want from me? Is this a bribe?”

That earned him a light smack to his back. “Stop it, and no, I’m not trying to bribe you to do something for me.” She stopped her massage, instead moving forward to wrap her arms around him from the back. “I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you, and that I’m very, very thankful that you’re my best friend, and that you’re here with me right now. Can’t I?”

He froze, feeling her chest pressed against his back very distinctly. He gulped silently, trying to still his bubbling feelings of excitement. Honestly, the one thing that would definitely ruin the moment is if he got a hard-on right now. _‘Ok, no, bad Gray, think of Natsu, think of Natsu naked, relax, be a good boy,’_ he chanted to himself repeatedly. _‘Ok, naked Natsu. That works. Naked. Natsu. Naked.’_

Realizing that Lucy was still waiting for an answer, he reached for her arms that were resting casually on his shoulders. Grasping them lightly, he murmured, “Of course you can. I’m also very thankful that you asked me to join you guys for lunch that day ten years ago. It quite literally changed my life.” He chuckled as the memory came to mind, Lucy’s cheery insistence despite his stubborn resolve. He loosened her hug, turning around to face her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Now, her voluptuous chest was pressed against his own, but staring down at the beautiful maiden in his arms, he could hardly care about that. “I’m very, very glad you came into my life. And that I can be here with you right now.”

His gaze shifted to her glistening lips, and he lowered his head to capture them in a searing kiss. Both of their eyelids slid closed, giving themselves over to the barrage of emotions coursing through their veins. It was a kiss more intense than their first, one that was loaded with newly-discovered feelings and unspoken words – a kiss through which they both wanted to convey their innermost desire for more than the friendship they currently shared.

Lucy’s hands ran over his chest, feeling the hard planes and defined lines of his muscular body. One hand ended up tangled in his wet hair, firmly keeping his head in place as their mouths tangoed in synchrony. Gray didn’t let his hands wander, not wanting to go beyond what Lucy was comfortable with, but he allowed himself to thread a hand through her soft locks. As Lucy moaned in pleasure, he felt himself reflexively try to pull her even closer, wanting as much bodily contact as possible, while letting out a soft groan of his own.

This time, Lucy was the one who ended the kiss, leaving the both of them breathing raggedly. “Not here,” she panted.

He nodded, acquiescing. “Later?” he ventured.

“Okay,” she whispered, placing two soft kisses on his lips. “Stargaze?”

He let go of her, giving her some space to manoeuvre into a comfortable position. Leaning back to float on their backs while their feet kept them in place, they held hands in companionable silence, occasionally pointing out a particular constellation or a star.

Gray freaked out once more when a stray piece of seaweed floated past his leg, brushing against him and making him shout in surprise. His sudden shout had also made Lucy scream, but when they realized it was just a piece of floating seaweed, Lucy had doubled over in laughter, poking fun at his embarrassment.

As he frowned at her, showing his displeasure at her teasing, he couldn’t help the softening of his gaze and the little smile that crept onto his face. Life had a funny way of doing things, didn’t it? You can literally spend your life searching for a missing puzzle piece and end up not finding it, but sometimes what you’re looking for is right under your nose and you might not even know it. The thing he was most thankful for that night, was that he managed to recognise the priceless gem that was right under his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you melty already? I hope you are!!! Because I definitely was while writing it hehe. Also… this means… that something juicy and exciting will be in the next chapter ;)
> 
> Let me know your thoughts/feedback! 
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


	4. Familiarity Does Not Breed Contempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go with Chapter 4 – and also the chapter that makes this story Explicit, and the reason why I can’t post it on FF.net :( finally some long-awaited GrayLu smut! 
> 
> The next update will probably not be next week, because I’m only halfway through writing it and I had to put it on pause in order to work on my submissions for GrayLu Weekend 2020, which is starting in 2 days! Stay tuned for those – there will be one new story daily for each prompt. I am very excited to keep the GrayLu love alive and I hope you are too :D
> 
> Anyhow, enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

** Familiarity Does Not Breed Contempt **

Lucy stepped out of the bathroom in only her undergarments and a fluffy bathrobe, courtesy of the resort, toweling her hair dry. She had initially planned to spend some time enjoying the jacuzzi that came with the villa, but after the impromptu hour of skinny-dipping, she decided that she had had enough soaking for the day – otherwise she’d be a dried prune by the end of the night. Both she and Gray had taken turns to shower in the rainshower bath instead, appreciating how it was open-air, allowing them to still admire the night sky.

She had asked Gray to shower first, because she wanted to spend some extra time pampering her hair and skin, after their long day out at sea and under the hot sun. As she entered the main chamber of the villa, she found Gray lounging lazily on the bed, half-naked and his eyes half-closed as he flipped through the TV channels aimlessly. His damp navy hair flopped messily over his forehead, some strands falling into his eyes, giving him a boyish charm.

He perked up slightly and looked over when he heard her soft footsteps. “Hey,” he greeted with a lazy smile that set butterflies fluttering away in her stomach.

“Hey yourself, sleepy head,” she replied, shaking her head slightly at his intolerance of clothes. She walked across the room to the glass door that connected the bedroom to the sun deck, slipping outside to hang her wet towel on the drying rack, before coming back into the air-conditioned room. Gray straightened to make space for her as she climbed onto the bed, settling beside him with her head on his shoulder.

“So whatcha wanna do now? Are you ready for bed already?” she asked, picking up the TV remote and flipping through the channels as well. “Doesn’t seem like there’s any good movie on tonight.”

He took a quick glance at the digital clock that was on the bedside table. “It’s still early though, it’s only 11pm. I’m not tired yet, and we shouldn’t waste this free vacation by sleeping so early.”

Lucy nodded, thinking about what they could do. There weren’t any card or board games, and there wasn’t any good shows on TV. Suddenly, a great idea occurred to her. “I know! Why don’t we continue the BFF question game?” she suggested excitedly, referring to the question-and-answer game that they were playing earlier that evening over dinner. “We had to stop when dinner came. We can continue that now.”

Gray raised his eyebrows. “I don’t have any guilty pleasures to reveal like you, Lucy,” he commented, evoking a loud ‘Tsk!’ from her. “And I don’t really have more questions though,” he warned.

“Well, let’s choose a new theme then, one that we haven’t asked questions on. Let’s… talk about sex.” A conspiratorial smile crept across her face.

“What?” Gray’s question carried a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity as to where Lucy was heading with this.

“Let’s ask each other personal questions relating to sex and stuff. You know, like Truth or Dare, except no Dares and all Truths. Are you up for it?” she prompted, poking a finger into his side. “I mean, if you’re uncomfortable with it, we don’t _have_ to do it… I just didn’t expect you to be so shy when it came to such topics.” She was clearly goading him with an obvious bait, but being as dense as Gray was, he took it – hook, line and sinker.

“I’m not shy, c’mon. Sure, whatever, let’s do it.” He gave her a semi eye-roll.

“Alright!” She gave him a hard pat on the back, moving backwards to shift into a more comfortable position. He mirrored her, both settling into cross-legged positions facing each other.

Now that they’ve moved onto this slightly sensitive topic, which had plenty of potential to turn a hundred percent awkward, Lucy decided to first put forth a disclaimer.

“Okay Gray… this is going to sound kind of awkward, but you know, we’re both adults. I know we’re no longer the awkward teenagers we used to be, but you know, just in case… I mean, we’ve never actually talked about this topic before in our group outings, and it’s not like we openly share about our sexual life. So my point is… um,” she faltered as she tried to put together a coherent sentence while trying to get her point across without sounding too lame. She didn’t quite know how to phrase what she wanted to say, but yet she really wanted to make it clear. “Ugh,” she muttered, her earlier bravado evaporating as she blushed slightly.

Gray watched as she wracked her brain for the right words to say. He found the situation quite amusing, and frankly, thought Lucy to be really adorable as she struggled. Thankfully, Gray was very perceptive by nature and knew what she was trying to get at. Truth be told, the same worry did cross his mind.

“I know what you’re trying to say, Lucy,” he chuckled. “We’re both adults, and we can hold perfectly mature conversations. And besides,” he shrugged, “sex is a perfectly normal topic. As long as we both approach it with a mature frame of mind, there’s nothing wrong about it. And if you’re worried about what I think, or rather, what I would think once we start sharing,” he corrected himself, “then there’s really nothing to worry about. I’m not going to start judging you. But you better promise me the same.” His lips quirked to one side in a side smile. “I mean, I already know you write porn.”

Despite the sudden twitching of her eyes in annoyance at the cheeky man sitting in front of her, a huge wave of relief washed over Lucy. She couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face. “Alright, that’s good to know. I just don’t want my best friend looking at me differently, you know? And of course, I promise.” Lucy leaned over to grab Gray’s hand, curling his fingers down while leaving his pinky finger out. She then stuck out her own pinky finger, and wrapped hers around his. “I promise to find out all your dirty little secrets, Fullbuster!”

Gray let out a small laugh as he looked down at their intertwined pinkies. “Alright, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, how shall we get the ball rolling?”

He was actually quite excited for this portion of questions, because he did want to know about Lucy’s sexual history. After all, he _was_ interested in her, and it didn’t hurt to know about her past experiences just for his own knowledge… and to find out if his sexual prowess and male pride were at risk. As a group of best friends, they did share about people they were seeing, but things like one-night stands, casual flings or even sexual fetishes don’t usually get shared. It’s not like they had to know everything that went on in each other’s bedrooms – now _that_ would really be kind of awkward. He definitely didn’t want to know about Erza’s private bedroom kinks.

“I’ll start!” Lucy began excitedly. Suddenly, a wave of nervousness overcame Gray. _‘Please don’t let it something too awkward,’_ he prayed hard. Despite his confident façade earlier, the last thing he wanted was for Lucy to immediately zoom in on one of his insecurities or dig into his guilty pleasures first-thing.

“So how many girls have you done it with?” asked Lucy. She decided to start it off light and easy with a question she has always wondered about. After all, Gray was smart, cool and really attractive. He had such smouldering eyes and an insanely sexy voice, she couldn’t imagine any female would turn him away if he had his eye on them. While she knew his character like the back of her hand, there were bound to be aspects she wouldn’t know about. She hoped he didn’t have a secret promiscuous side to him – although she highly doubted that. _‘That would be kind of disappointing,’_ she admitted to herself, if he actually turned out to be a player.

_‘Whew, that’s not too bad,’_ Gray let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. “I’ve slept with two,” he answered.

Lucy was surprised. But also strangely relieved. “Two?! Only?” she questioned incredulously. She didn’t expect him to have a wealth of experience, but two seemed a tad too… few, with the number of girls who were into him.

Gray frowned. “Well, how many did you expect me to have slept with?” he questioned. “You know me, I’m an introvert. I don’t fancy sleeping with random people I don’t know. And also,” he paused, slightly embarrassed by what he was going to say next, “I like sex to be intimate, with people I care about. There’s no such thing as ‘no strings attached’ for me.”

“Well, that’s something new. I thought you’d be a Casanova with that face and voice of yours,” she giggled. “Who were the two lucky ladies then?” This, she definitely wanted to know.

Gray raised his eyebrows. “Hey, why do you get to ask two questions in a row?” Gray reached out and bopped Lucy gently on her nose. She scrunched her nose and stuck her tongue out. Gray sighed and thought for a bit.

“Obviously one would be Juvia,” he paused. Juvia was his last girlfriend, whom he dated for slightly over two years. They broke up eight months ago, shortly after she left to study abroad for the next four years. The toll of making a long-distance relationship work turned out to be too heavy for the both of them, and it was a mutual decision to part ways. “And the other was Ultear. I lost my virginity to her,” finished Gray.

“Oh yeah, you did mention that your first girlfriend was your childhood friend, Ultear,” mused Lucy. “You guys didn’t date long right?”

“Yeah, we were young and naïve, and all excited about getting our first girlfriend or boyfriend in those days. Heck, we were only 18! We dated for 6 months, before we realized things were definitely not going to work out. But we did experiment a little in the bedroom… although it didn’t turn out all that great,” he admitted sheepishly.

Lucy laughed. She could relate to that – first times were always awkward. “Aww, what a sensitive soul,” she teased, while prodding him slightly in the ribs. Gray rolled his eyes before lunging over suddenly, tickling Lucy in her sides, knowing she was very ticklish and hated it. Lucy yelped in shock and fell sideways, squirming and laughing uncontrollably.

“S-ssstop it Gray! Argh, you know I h-h-hate this,” she managed to get out while desperately trying to escape Gray’s relentless fingers. He laughed as he moved to kneel over her, with her legs trapped between his knees. He stopped his tickle attack, and placed one palm on either side of her head. He looked down at her, meeting her wide brown eyes with an intense gaze. The hotel robe she was dressed in had shifted during their pretend-scuffle, with one side having fallen off her right shoulder to show her smooth and tantalizing collarbone. As she breathed heavily, trying to catch her breath, his eyes were drawn to the quick rising of her chest, where the top edge of her navy lace bra was peeking out through the white.

Subconsciously, Gray’s breathing started to grow heavier as he took in the sight before him. Leaning down, and noticing their close proximity, he quirked his lips in a side smirk before saying in a low voice, “How about you Lucy? How many guys have you slept with?” He blinked slowly as he breathed in the floral fragrance of the body wash lingering on her skin.

Lucy’s heartbeat started increasing in pace as she met Gray’s intense gaze. Were his eyes always so blue? Why was she only noticing how soulful they looked now? For some unknown reason, she felt slightly nervous. They were in a very intimate position, but she couldn’t say that she didn’t like it. In fact, it got her feeling excited. “Um… only one. Loke,” she answered softly. “Loke was my first.” Loke was her most recent ex-boyfriend as well, although they broke up more than a year ago. “I haven’t found anyone I was interested in enough to want to sleep with them since, even though I’ve been meeting random guys from those dating apps,” Lucy said.

“So it’s been quite some time since the both of us had some action eh,” joked Gray. “Since you asked two questions in a row just now, it’s only fair that I get to ask another one,” he stated matter-of-factly. He leaned down closer to Lucy, right next to her ear, before whispering, “So how have you been keeping yourself satisfied?” Lucy’s breath hitched as she felt blood rush into her cheeks, painting them a rosy pink as she blushed. The room seemed to be getting warmer.

Images of herself lying in her bed alone at night flashed across her mind. Some of them with her fingers in her panties, some of them with a small toy in her grasp, and most of them with her moaning. Oh boy… she definitely can’t deny that she can get quite horny. But was she really going to admit it to her close friend right here, right now _? ‘Okay, we are both mature adults. We can handle this kind of conversation,’_ she repeated in her mind. _‘Remind me why I started this topic in the first place?’_ “I… touch myself. And I sometimes use a toy… you know, I find that it’s actually easier for me to make myself feel good because I know exactly which spot to touch,” Lucy answered confidently. She had nothing to be ashamed of, it’s completely normal!

Gray smiled, secretly imagining Lucy touching herself in the middle of the night. Her reply was actually kind of hot – he liked it when girls knew what they wanted. He felt some blood start to rush downwards, and quickly tried to erase that image from his mind. “Mmm, it’s true. A woman’s body is a complete mystery.” He decided he had to do something about their position before he got too turned on, and something unexpected started jabbing Lucy in her leg. He lifted his right palm from the left of Lucy’s face, and settled down beside her, propping his elbow up to support his head. “It’s your turn then, I believe.”

Lucy found herself slightly disappointed as Gray removed himself from their previous close position. She was definitely glad that he didn’t react too strongly to her reply though. She turned onto her side to face him, opting to lie on her arm and look up at him rather than to mirror his position. She thought for a moment, before breaking out into a huge grin. “Okay… what’s your innermost fantasy?” Her grin spread wider as her chocolate eyes took on a mischievous glint.

Gray’s eyes widened as his brows furrowed. “My innermost fantasy? That escalated quickly,” he protested weakly, as his mind raced to come with an answer. The problem wasn’t that he had none, the problem was that quite a few of them included his best friend Lucy, who was currently lying in front of him in a bed, unaware that her position was doing him a huge favour by revealing a generous amount of cleavage. As she laid on her side, her free arm was inevitably pressing onto her bosom, tempting Gray through the fold of the hotel robe. “What kind of fantasy do you mean?” he asked, trying to get around the question.

Lucy shifted closer to him as she rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean! There’s no avoiding the question,” she pointed out. “It can be anything – it can be your kinkiest desire,” she winked, “or it can just be a situation you’ve always wanted to be in.”

“Okay,” said Gray. “I’ve got one.” He paused as he looked Lucy in her eyes, trying to read what she was feeling. It was now, or never. He didn’t know if he would ever have this chance to be with her alone, one-on-one, again anytime soon, and he could feel the sexual tension in the atmosphere. He knew that they’ve always been slightly attracted to each other, except that the dynamics of their group friendship have always kept the attraction in check. Now though, there was nobody else here in the room that mattered. It was only her, and him, and there was no denying the deep attraction that was welling up inside of him. He was going to take his chances, and judging by what had happened over dinner and during their skinny-dipping, these intense feelings seemed to be mutual.

He took a deep breath before answering, “One of my favourite fantasies takes place in a villa on the beach. It’s a private villa, and the next guestroom is quite a walk away, so it’s only us. We’re on a getaway, and there are no other sounds but the waves lapping at the shore. There are candles in the room, the lights are dim, and there’s a huge bed in the middle.” He raised a hand and lightly ran the back of his fingers down the side of Lucy’s face, stopping to tuck some stray strands of her golden hair behind her ear. He kept his gaze trained on her, maintaining eye contact. “She’s wearing a hotel robe, and I come up behind her, taking her in my arms. And I slowly undo the sash,” Gray murmured, his fingers having traced down her cheek to her jaw, and now slowly making their way down the side of her neck.

Lucy was held captive by Gray’s eyes. There was a hungry look in his navy orbs that stirred something in her nether regions, making her tingle from head to toe. She was genuinely curious about Gray’s type of fantasies, but as he began to answer her question, she watched his eyes grow darker, and realized that the room and situation they were currently in bore an uncanny resemblance to what he was describing. Private villa, check. Waves and beach, check. Big bed, hotel robe, dim lighting, check. As his fingers danced across her face, her heart started beating wildly and she felt an aching emotion in her chest. She couldn’t believe she was here alone with Gray, her best friend that she now knew occupied a large part of her heart, but with whom she had always thought a relationship would be impossible. But at this very moment, it seemed that the possibility was on the horizon. She had one last burning question. “Wait, Gray,” she whispered, “Who is this person?”

“It’s you, Lucy,” Gray answered her softly. His hand stopped tracing downwards, and came back up to cup her face gently. “It’s always been you.” Gray pushed forward with the arm he was leaning on, and kissed Lucy.

Lucy’s eyes slipped close as Gray’s lips captured her own. She involuntarily shivered as she let out a soft moan. Gray tasted so good, and felt so right. Lucy was no stranger to kissing – she had kissed a number of other guys, but they always felt forced, and oftentimes she allowed those kisses out of expectation. None of them though, managed to generate the electricity that was coursing through her veins right now, as Gray’s mouth moved against hers. Gray was perfect.

The kiss grew deeper as Lucy returned it, moving her lips against his, and allowing his tongue to meet hers as they danced in synchrony. He got off his side and turned Lucy onto her back, climbing over and chaining her between his knees once again, while still kissing her. Finally, when they had to stop to catch their breaths, he lifted his head to meet her hazy brown eyes. “Lucy… I haven’t finished my answer yet,” he breathed, with half-lidded eyes of his own.

“No, don’t stop, Gray,” whispered Lucy. “You can finish your answer by showing me instead.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to get him to continue kissing her. Gray let out a soft laugh as he let himself be pulled down by the beautiful female in front of him. He was so happy that she was returning his affection – his heart swelled with love and happiness. He knew that this was only the beginning, but it was a start.

“Then can I ask a question, Lucy?” Gray stopped right before their lips met, touching his forehead to hers.“What is it?” she asked.

“What’s the most number of times you’ve made yourself come before?” he whispered.

Lucy blushed as she caught wind of what he was asking. “Uh… why do you want to know? This is embarrassing,” she laughed shyly.

Gray grinned and gave her a light peck on her lips, watching as her eyes slid shut for a second. “Tell me if you want me to continue.”

Lucy groaned. “This is not fair,” she complained. “I’m only telling you because I don’t want you to stop… but if you must know, then four…” her voice trailed off as she looked up at Gray.

Gray raised his eyebrows and gave her a sideways smirk. “Lucy, I had expected you to be more ambitious,” he chuckled.

Lucy turned even redder, pouting as she hit Gray lightly in his arm. “What!”

“By the time we leave this villa tomorrow, I’d have made you come more,” he whispered, making her a promise with his deep, bottomless orbs. “If you allow me to, that is,” he clarified, laying a sweet kiss on her forehead, waiting for her answer. As much as he wanted to show Lucy how much he loved her, he wasn’t going to do anything without her absolute consent.

Lucy swallowed, feeling her panties get damp. “Okay, I’m considering that a promise.” She pulled Gray’s head down with surprising strength and they met lips. They began a tussle for dominance with their tongues, Lucy keeping up with Gray as he demonstrated his urgent need. He broke the kiss to look down at his hands, having found the sash of Lucy’s hotel robe, fumbling as he tried to undo the knot keeping the robe in place.

“I didn’t know you were so good at tying knots Lucy,” he grunted as he struggled. Lucy giggled and placed her hands over his, gently nudging them away as she easily found the right end and pulled.

“I’m all yours now,” she winked.

Gray grinned lazily with hooded eyes and leaning back, slowly opened Lucy’s robe to unveil her beautiful body. She was wearing a navy lace bra with a little white ribbon in the center, which held her luscious breasts in place. She also had on a matching pair of navy lace panties, which didn’t leave much to one’s imagination. The dark colour – his favourite colour – provided a stark contrast to her milky white skin. His eyes took in the blonde beauty before him, his breath catching in his throat. Lucy was a sight to behold - her golden locks were splayed under her head, her gorgeous brown eyes sparkling up at him, and her voluptuous body ready for the taking. “You’re so beautiful, Lucy,” he breathed.

Lucy gave Gray a seductive smile as she got up from under him, pushing him backwards. “Gray, will you stop staring? You’re taking too long,” she said. She decided to take things into her own hands, since the man seemed too mesmerised. She placed both her hands on his bare shoulders, and kissed him deeply, making his eyes close in pleasure. Pulling back, she started trailing feather-light kisses down his chin, along his jaw, down his neck and along his collarbone. Her hands moved down south as her mouth continued her ministrations, down his bare chest, feeling each rock-solid pec. Gray’s physique was amazing – just the sight of it was enough to make any hot-blooded woman’s mouth water. How did she get so blessed?

Her fingers reached the waist-band of his boxers, just as her mouth reached one of Gray’s nipples. She sucked on it lightly and twirled her tongue around the little nub, before moving over to the next nipple and repeating the same action. Lifting her head slightly to look up at Gray, their gazes met, and he let out a little groan. Lucy took it as a sign of encouragement, and she slipped his boxers off.

Gray was obviously very excited, as his member stood proudly at attention. As kids growing up, they’ve definitely seen each other naked before, usually by accident when someone walked into a room without knowing the other person was changing, or through a wardrobe malfunction. However, it was definitely different seeing a friend naked by accident without any intention of banging versus their current situation.

Lucy sighed appreciatively at his glory, happy with his generous length and excited to know how he would feel inside her. She caught herself as her thoughts started running wild – it had truly been too long since she had last gotten laid!

She placed her lips back onto his chest, and trailed kisses downwards, along his defined v-line – her favourite – until she reached the base of his member. One hand grasped it gently, and she gave the tip a tentative lick.

Gray watched Lucy as she made steady progress down his body. She was such a temptress, and it drove him crazy to see her take control. He was so hard, it actually hurt. While one part of him wanted to take over and dominate her soft body, he couldn’t stop himself from watching her work her seductive magic. However, when Lucy’s lips descended on his cock and he felt the first shy lick, Gray jerked forward slightly, moaning loudly and waking up from his stupor. If she gave him one more lick, he was going to lose control of himself and start thrusting into her mouth.

He quickly wrapped his arms around Lucy and pulled her up to kiss her. She let out a little moan, and his hands made quick work of her bra clasp. Pulling it off her, he bent down and took one soft, white mound into his mouth. _‘How can she be so soft,’_ he thought he sucked her breast and nipped her nipple lightly.

“Gray…” moaned Lucy, weaving her hands through his navy hair. He moved over to the other breast, but continued to give the first mound attention by kneading it with one hand.

Out of a sudden, Gray straightened and carried Lucy up bridal style, making her let out a surprised yelp. He placed her down gently on the bed, and lowering himself, started placing kisses below her breasts, down her flat belly. Soon, he reached her jewel, and he placed his nose against the damp fabric of her thin panties, taking a deep whiff of her arousal. “You’re so wet for me, Lucy,” he murmured against the fabric, looking up into her brown eyes. His low voice sent vibrations through the cloth to Lucy’s skin, and the throbbing ache in her nether regions got stronger.

“Touch me, Gray,” she begged.

He was about to do as she asked, before a hesitant look crossed over his face. “Lucy, are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, a double meaning hidden in between the lines. Once they crossed this line, they wouldn’t be able to return to a purely platonic friendship. They would look at each other differently, knowing they’ve spent an intimate night together.

“Yes, Gray. I trust you,” she gave him a sweet smile, her eyes filled with trust as she gazed lovingly at him.

He returned her smile with one of his own, before moving to remove her panties. He smirked when he saw that Lucy was cleanly shaven. He lowered his head and put his talented mouth to work. He quickly found her sensitive nub, and sucked it gently for a few seconds, soliciting a loud moan from his princess. He used his fingers to spread her folds open slightly, before give it long, slow lick. Gray loved going down on his women and seeing them tremble in pleasure under his ministrations. He was going to give Lucy an unforgettable experience.

Lucy couldn’t help the moans that were coming out of her mouth. Despite her many nights of self-pleasure, her fingers and toys definitely couldn’t compare to the Gray’s talented tongue and warm mouth. He was really getting into it, working a steady rhythm that touched all the right spots. Her head was thrown back, eyes closed as she focused on enjoying the incredible sensations that were rocking her body. She could feel herself climbing uphill, as Gray’s tongue continued to lick around her clit. “Don’t stop, Gray,” she managed to utter, as another moan left her mouth. “Make me come!”

Gray knew Lucy was near. Her grip on his hair grew tighter as he sped up his ministrations. He promised to break her personal record of orgasms, and he was not going to break that promise. At the same time, he couldn’t wait until he could sheath himself inside her. At this point, his member was throbbing almost painfully. He sucked and licked, interchanging his actions until Lucy let out a loud cry of his name and he felt her thighs quiver against his face. As his tongue slowed, he tasted Lucy’s fresh juice as she orgasmed for him. He took one last lick, grinning as he got up from between her legs to capture her lips in a searing kiss. “I love it when you come for me,” Gray whispered.

Lucy could taste herself on him, and it turned her on even more. “I want you inside me now, Gray,” said Lucy. Gray grunted and shifted his hips, positioning his cock at her entrance. He rubbed his tip along her wet folds gently, coating it with her juices. “Are you okay, Lucy?” Gray asked, his voice several tones deeper. He really wanted to enter her, but he wanted to make sure that she wanted him as much as well.

She didn’t answer verbally, but a petite hand grasped his member, and looking into his eyes, she guided him in. Gray groaned loudly as he felt the warmth of Lucy embrace his cock. She was so warm, so wet, and so tight. He kept the eye contact with Lucy, and he felt his heart constrict. He thought he could not love her more than he did in that very moment. When he was finally fully sheathed in her, he felt an overwhelming sense of intimate connection. “Lucy…” Gray let out, hoping she could hear the usually-concealed emotions in his voice.

Lucy could have cried when she felt Gray slide into her. He filled her to her brim, and she felt so whole. It was like they indeed became one. As they continued staring into each other’s eyes, Lucy realized that this man truly loved her. Through all the years they’ve been friends, he had always had her back. While she had a strong friendship with everyone else in their little clique, Gray had always been the strong and stable rock that she knew she could always come back to. He always gave her a shoulder to cry on, a sincere listening ear, and he was always watching out for her. He had the uncanny ability to always say the right things, turn up at the right time, and give her what she didn’t even know she needed. And she realized, that she loved him as much too. If she could, she would give him the world. Now, she was going to give all of herself to him. There was nobody else she’d rather belong to.

“Gray…” she returned, pouring all her feelings into his name. Gray knew she felt the strength of his emotions. He started moving his hips, pulling back slightly before pushing back into her. He was going to show her how much he loved her.

He took her lips in a deep kiss and placed his forehead against hers, thrusting slowly and deeply into her repeatedly, enhancing the sensations that were running through their bodies. Soon, Gray’s thrusts became slightly more urgent as he felt himself nearing his peak. He moved his arms under Lucy’s thighs and lifted them up against his chest, allowing him to thrust deeper and harder. His breaths got shorter and quicker as his hips seemed to move of their own accord.

Lucy’s moans got louder as he started hitting a sweet spot deep inside her. This new position allowed him to exert more force, and with every thrust, Lucy could feel the bed shake slightly. It was so hot that Gray wanted her so badly, and she found herself growing as urgent as him as his thrusts increased in pace. “Gray, faster, harder,” she panted.

Gray acceded to her request and his thrusts started to contain more force. The bed started shaking more. “Lucy, you’re, so, tight,” Gray panted in return. “I’m gonna come soon.”

“Come for me Gray,” Lucy moaned, reaching out to take his face in one hand, while bringing the other down to massage her clit. Gray leaned into her hold, enjoying the moment. He thrusted hard a few more times, before feeling himself suddenly crest the wave and tumble over. “Mmnnghh Lucy! Oh Lucy I love you so much,” he cried out, as he released his warm seed into Lucy’s welcoming womb. His eyes snapped shut and he pressed his forehead against Lucy’s, jerking slightly as he emptied his load.

Lucy’s grip tightened on his face when she felt him starting to tense up. Her fingers stimulated her clit more urgently as she felt the throbbing build up in her own body. Finally, she matched his cry with a loud moan of her own as she reached her own peak, the walls of her tight cavern spasming around his cock, milking him fully of his warm fluid. When she heard him profess his love in that moment of raw, unbridled passion, her heart almost burst. Her eyes were closed tightly as they enjoyed that moment of closeness, feeling the love for each other that was almost tangible in the air.

After a few moments of silence that was only punctuated by the sounds of their heavy breathing, Gray’s eyes opened first. He was only coming down from his high, but he realized that he had unintentionally declared his love for Lucy just seconds ago. He was suddenly nervous as he waited with bated breath for her reaction, unsure if she had heard what he said.

Lucy’s eyes slid open slowly to meet anxious navy orbs, searching her face. She knew what he was worried about, and she smiled at him. “Oh Gray, I think I love you too.” She watched as relief flooded his eyes and his lips captured hers in a deep, searing kiss. As they kissed, he pulled out of her, eliciting a slight moan from Lucy as she mourned the sudden emptiness. He rolled off, to the side of Lucy, and pulled her close, facing him. One arm reached down to pull her upper leg over him, and his hand reached down to her wet entrance, that was still dripping slightly from their passionate lovemaking. As she felt his fingers stroke her sensitive clit, her body jerked involuntarily.

“Did you think we were done, Lucy?” said Gray, in a velvet voice. “I still have a long way to go before I fulfil my promise.” He glided two of his fingers along her slick folds, feeling her shiver at the contact.

Lucy looked up at him with wide eyes as she asked, “Are you seriously going to hit four tonight?” She was still reeling from mind-blowing sex they just had. It was definitely a fantastic way to break the long drought that they’ve both been going through.

“I said before we leave – so we have all night and all morning tomorrow. And yes, I am very serious,” answered Gray. He took her lips in a deep kiss, while still lazily teasing Lucy with his fingers. “Why not we continue our earlier conversation? We stopped pretty abruptly… but I hope I managed to answer your question,” he smirked with a wink.

Lucy couldn’t help the soft moan that slipped out of her mouth as she succumbed to Gray’s ministrations. He was just so damn sexy, with his husky after-sex voice and his half-lidded eyes. “Unggff… yeah we could… it’s your turn to ask a question hmm…” she drawled.

Gray thought for awhile. Now that they had opened this door, there were plenty of questions he wanted to ask, such as… fetishes, roleplay, her fantasies… but he wanted to make it more about her and less about him. “What’s your favourite sex position, Lucy?” This was a completely legitimate question – all in the name of research on how to please his lady. He inserted a slender finger into her entrance, in the meantime, making her shudder in pleasure.

A few images entered Lucy’s head. She was shocked herself at how fast they popped into her head. _‘Yikes girl, you really haven’t gotten any for quite a long time, if you’re immediately already thinking of the positions you miss,’_ she mused. She leaned forward to drop a few light kisses on Gray’s lips, asking, “Can I only choose one? I might have a few favourites you know.” She placed another kiss on him, this time drawing it out and sucking on his lower lip. She wasn’t going to just lie there and let him play games with her, she was going to pull her weight too.

Gray closed his eyes as he hummed softly, enjoying Lucy’s sweet kisses. “Mmm you can list your top three. No more than three,” he said, pulling back from her loving.

Lucy smiled and scrunched her nose up at him. “Okay, I can do that. My third favourite is doggy-style, when it gets a little rough. My second is when I’m lying on my back with my legs on his shoulders, and he’s taking me standing up. And my absolute favourite is missionary, because I like the intimate connection with my partner,” she finished. There were times when she liked it rough, hard and fast, but oftentimes, she enjoyed the slow, close and romantic sex more.

Gray couldn’t deny that while she was answering his question, he was imagining them in the said positions. This caused his previously-spent member to regain some of its vigour, and start to harden slightly. However, there was something in her answer that didn’t sit right with him. “Not he or his, Lucy, it’s going to be me. Your second favourite position is when you’re lying on your back with your legs on my shoulders, and I’m taking you standing up. And coincidentally, my favourite is missionary too.” He kissed her as he inserted another finger into her. “You turn me on so much, Lucy. Now I’m picturing us in all the positions you just said.” He started to pump his fingers in and out of her slit, moving his thumb against her clit. “Moan for me.”

Lucy gasped slightly as she reveled in the sensations that his fingers were setting off in her body. With his thumb coming into contact with her ultra-sensitive nub, she obliged and let out a long, slow moan. His words were making her wetter than she already was, and that throbbing ache was back in full swing. She knew it wasn’t going to take too long to push her over the edge – it always was easier to come multiple times more once she had crested the first wave of pleasure. “Don’t stop!” she moaned again.

Gray guessed she liked the dirty talk, judging from Lucy’s sensual reactions. It wasn’t in his typical nature, but in the bedroom, Gray can be a sexy beast and his personal motto was to leave his girl wanting more of him. “Oh Lucy… You’re so tight around my fingers, you’re making me so hard for you. Do you even know how wet you are? You’re making me so hungry for your taste. I just want to suck you hard and eat you out right now,” he started kissing her neck, sucking along the way. With the arm over her leg and not stopping his fingers’ assault, he pulled her body flush against him in one swift movement, making sure she could feel his hardness press against her abdomen. “This is how hard you make me, Lucy. I can’t control myself around you.”

Lucy shut her eyes as she focused on what Gray was doing to her. Him leaving kisses along her sensitive neck, and his fingers working their magic. Okay, she was absolutely lapping up the dirty talk. She didn’t know she actually had a thing for it, because Loke never tried it with her, but with Gray’s deep voice, those words were literally orgasmic. With the fire building up in her body again, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her face against his hard chest. “Don’t stop Gray, don’t stop! I’m going to come soon!”

He grinned as he felt her grip tighten around him. He put his nose in her hair and took a deep breath, enjoying her slightly sweaty fragrance. He sped up the finger-thrusting, and applied slightly more pressure on her clit as his thumb continued rubbing in concentric circles. “Be a good girl, Lucy, come for me. Call my name,” he whispered.

In a matter of seconds, Lucy fell apart in Gray’s arms. “Ohhhh GRAY! Gray you make me feel so GOOD! OHHH!” He held her tight as her whole body spasmed against his. _‘That’s three down,’_ he smirked with pride. Gray withdrew his fingers from her drenched cavern and placed a kiss on Lucy’s head. When she finally looked up at him, he brought those fingers to his mouth and sucked her juices off his fingers. “Mmm,” he winked and licked his lips. “You’ve been a good girl.”

Lucy blushed as she rolled her eyes slightly at him, smiling. She couldn’t help but love this dork of a person. Now that he’s pleasured her so much, it’s time for her to return the favour. And to be honest, the thing poking her in her stomach was getting slightly uncomfortable. “It seems like someone’s having a serious case of insomnia though. I think he may need some help with being put to sleep.”

She moved one hand from behind his neck, and placed it on his chest. Her fingers trailed downwards, along his defined muscles, slowly coming closer to the treasure she was aiming for. She took hold of his hardened shaft in her hand, and squeezed it gently, making Gray let out a low gasp. “Have you been a good boy, hmm?” she whispered, keeping her eyes on his.

“Y-yes,” Gray stuttered. He watched Lucy as she pushed herself up, out of his grasp, and start moving herself lower down the bed, all the while keeping a hold on his erected member. “Lucy… what are you doing?” he asked, although the answer was obvious.

“I’m giving you your reward for being so good,” she replied seductively.

Lucy reached her prize, and gave Gray a wink before bringing her eyes and mouth to his tip. Giving it a soft lick as a prelude, and hearing him release a low groan, she took him whole in her mouth. Gray jerked as the warmth and wetness of Lucy’s delicate mouth surrounded the sensitive head of his cock. It felt so, damn, good. His eyes slid shut in pure bliss, and his breathing started getting heavier. He had planned on pleasuring her endlessly, but who knew she strongly believed in returning the favour. He wasn’t going to complain – heck if he had a choice, he wanted her to never, ever stop what she was doing. Lucy was driving him crazy – she was doing insane things to his heart, and she was also doing insane things to his cock.

Lucy held the base of his length firmly, while she knelt in between Gray’s legs, bobbing her head up and down his shaft, with her eyes closed. As she fell into a rhythm, she sucked lightly while swirling her tongue around the tip each time she reached the head. She wanted to make Gray feel like he was in seventh heaven, and to only remember the sensations that she was unleashing upon him in this heated moment. She was going to be the one to tip him over the edge, and to make him come hard for her.

She sped up her motions as Gray tensed, feeling his member stiffen slightly in her mouth. Deciding to throw in more, she started to let out slow moans against his erection, making sure he could feel the vibrations coming from her throat. He lowered his hands to grab onto her hair, firmly but not too tightly as to cause her pain. 

“Lucy, I’m almost… there. Keep going,” he grunted. “Make me come!”

Lucy smiled and sucked harder, using her hands now to also follow the motions of her mouth. She continued pumping Gray, until he finally reached his peak and his seed burst out of his member into Lucy’s waiting mouth. “LUCY! Fuck! Oh Lucy, ohhhhh shit,” Gray cried out, tensing forward and thrusting a few times into her mouth lightly, while tightening his grip on Lucy’s hair as he rode out his spasms of pleasure. His warm semen flowed out in a strong stream and Lucy gladly swallowed, tasting Gray in all his fullness – a taste that was uniquely Gray.

Finally, Gray let go of Lucy and fell back onto the bed, panting and spent. This girl, _his_ girl, brought him to heaven and back. Wait, no – he was still in heaven, because heaven was anywhere with Lucy. He felt the bed shift as Lucy came back up to lie beside him, and he opened his eyes to look at her. Gray reached out to wrap his arms tightly around Lucy, bringing her against his chest, and kissed her on the forehead. “Thank you,” he said softly. He hooked a finger under her chin, and brought his lips to hers. “I love you so much, Lucy. So much.”

Lucy leaned into his hold, returning his deep kiss with feelings equally strong. “Me too, Gray. You make me so happy,” she replied. Holding each other in a tight embrace, they fell asleep in post-coital bliss, with nothing but the sound of waves and their breathing keeping them company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yummy? Thank you so much for reading <3 I will try to get the next chapter out by the week after! 
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


	5. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I’m back a little earlier than Wednesday with Chapter 5! I put this story on a short pause as I was busy participating in GrayLu Weekend 2020 – it was held from 6-10 November, and the stories are up in a series on my profile! I wrote a series of one-shots based on quote prompts from the manga/anime – do check them out if you’re interested!
> 
> But anyway, this will likely be the second-last chapter of this short story, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it so far! As I was thinking about how to wrap it up, an idea for a sequel popped into my head. It would likely be slice-of-life, would you guys be interested? 
> 
> I’m a little worried that readers might find it boring since it’s not adventure-based. Let me know your thoughts! In the meantime, enjoy this chapter with a cup of tea/coffee :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

** The Morning After **

Gray gently untangled his arms from around the sleeping blonde, before slipping out from under the covers silently. His bladder was filled to the brim and he desperately needed a toilet break. Before he headed to the bathroom, he made sure to place the covers back properly over Lucy, lest she catches a chill from the air-conditioner.

As he stepped into the moonlit bathroom, he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. The images from earlier on in the night immediately sprang into his mind, and a warm flush coloured his cheeks despite the sneaky smirk that settled on his face. Every single moment of their passion-filled activities were etched in his mind – he replayed each scene, enjoying the memory of Lucy’s soft skin, her generous breasts, her intoxicating smell, her taste – oh damn, _her taste_ – and the expression that she made when she was lost in the throes of passion, riding the waves of a climax that he brought about. That last memory got him recalling just how good it felt to be inside her, and that thought immediately triggered the rush of blood down to his nether regions.

He cursed softly as he shook his head, trying to clear his mind and stop himself from getting aroused. Finishing his business, he quickly washed his hands and splashed his face with cold water from the tap, stopping to stare at his reflection in the mirror as he leaned his hands against the marble sink. As enjoyable as their time together was, he couldn’t help but feel a niggling fear about how things would be like, now that they’ve crossed a precarious line. Having feelings for his best friend was one thing, but actually realizing that the feelings were mutual, acting upon them and then sleeping with each other?

That was a whole new ball game, and that completely threw him off. He had no idea how to navigate this situation that they were in, and that made him worried for good reason. What if this romance was short-lived? What if it was simply a case of a vacation placebo effect, making them drunk on island vibes which resulted in them making impulsive decisions that they would regret once they returned to reality? Speaking of reality, how would they break the news to their other two friends? What if it changed the entire dynamic of their group – there was a reason why friends tended to avoid dating within the same social circle. If – touchwood – they ended badly, would the entire group break up? And if they happened to have a couple’s tiff, that would inevitably affect the group’s atmosphere.

 _‘Oh shucks, this is making my head hurt,’_ he groaned to himself, shutting his eyes tightly, hoping all those troubling thoughts would simply evaporate. Sighing, he opened his eyes, noticing that the sky had lightened slightly. He arched an eyebrow, wondering if it was already time for the sun to awaken. It felt like they had just fallen asleep in each other’s arms a couple of hours ago. He guessed they must have really been worn out from the day’s activities… as well as their night fun.

Coming back into the bedroom, he glanced quickly at the bedside clock, noting that it was 5am. The sun must rise pretty early here on the island, he surmised. Figuring that Lucy would definitely want to catch the sunrise, he decided to wake her up. They could always take a nap later.

He walked over to the bed, where a happily-snoozing Lucy was wrapped tightly in the thick hotel blankets. She didn’t typically snore, but the cold air must have given her a slight stuffy nose as she was letting out soft breaths through her mouth. Gray let out a small smile at the adorable sight, and found himself thinking that he wouldn’t mind waking up to this scene every morning.

He sat on the bed, watching her serene face as he placed a warm hand on her cheek. His thumb stroked her face gently, spending a few more moments admiring her features. Suddenly, he decided that all the earlier worries that he had been fretting over didn’t matter anymore – he’d be damned if he let this angel go. He would try his damnedest to keep her by his side, and he would make it his life mission to be there with her for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. By the stars, his heart clenched tightly as he realised just how much he truly loved this girl.

Realising that the sky was continuing to brighten, he leaned over to kiss Lucy’s forehead, before whispering in her ear, “Lucy, it’s time to wake up. Do you wanna watch the sunrise?”

She didn’t respond, still lost in her slumberland. He chuckled lightly in amusement, before moving his hand to her shoulder, giving her a gentle nudge. “Lucy, wake up. You’re not gonna want to miss this. I heard the sunrise here is as beautiful as its sunsets.”

This time, she stirred. “Sun…ise?” she mumbled, her words slurring together. She cracked one eye open a sliver.

“Yeah Lucy, we only have one chance to catch the sunrise. If we miss it, we won’t be able to see it till the next time we’re back, which is probably not for some time.”

Finally, Lucy woke up fully. She let out a feminine groan as she stretched her body languidly, yawning. Reaching her arms out from under the covers, she opened her still groggy eyes and smiled cutely at Gray. “Hi,” she greeted. “Carry me?”

He raised his eyebrows at her, ruffling her head of messy golden hair. “Good morning to you too. This is an obvious case of bullying,” he protested, but still stood up to follow her request. “Come on, the sky’s getting brighter. This better not be a habit,” he warned in a stern tone, turning around to indicate a piggyback.

Lucy giggled as she scrambled out from under the rumpled sheets. She hopped ungracefully onto Gray’s back, whose strong arms immediately came to encircle her legs, keeping her in a secure hold as she tucked her nose into the crook of his neck, breathing in his calming scent of sage and peppermint.

While Lucy washed up, Gray decided to set up the jacuzzi out on the sun deck. The idea had occurred to him as he drew the curtains, realising that it was their last day on the island and they had yet to try it out. Since they would probably be sitting outside for the next hour or so, he figured it would be nice to enjoy a warm soak, especially since the morning air was quite chilly, and Lucy had been looking forward to using the jacuzzi from the moment she spotted its existence in their villa. Everyone knew of Lucy’s fondness for long baths, and it helped that this was a heated jacuzzi. He plugged the bottom of the tub, and did a quick temperature test of the water, adjusting the knobs for a few seconds before letting it flow freely.

“Wow, Gray, what is this?” He didn’t hear Lucy step out onto sun deck, until her curious question floated through the air. He turned to look at her as she moved towards the jacuzzi.

“Oh, I thought it would be nice if we could watch the sunrise while enjoying a warm soak, since you really wanted to try the jacuzzi,” he explained as he watched her dip a hand into the tub. She hummed happily when she felt the warm water surround her hand.

“That’s a great idea, Gray! I didn’t think of that at all,” she replied brightly. “Are you already in your swimwear? If not, let’s go get changed, and I’ll make us some hot tea.”

Ten minutes later, Lucy walked out with two cups of hot tea, wisps of steam escaping into the slightly chilly air. She had changed into a white bikini with pink sakura details, over which she wore a hotel robe. Gray followed behind, in his swim pants, holding two fluffy towels for them to dry off with later.

While Lucy spent a few moments removing her robe and placing it beside the towels, Gray got into the water first, getting used to the warm temperature and slipping in with a contented sigh. It was a welcome contrast to the cool morning air, before the sun came up to warm the island. He motioned for Lucy to get in as well, holding his hand out to support her as she stepped in. Once she was partially submerged in the water, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest, leaning back against the edge of the tub to face the shoreline, where the sun was about to make its appearance.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked the girl encased in his arms.

Lucy shifted her body in his hold to look up at him, leaning up to softly kiss his jaw. “I’m fine, and very comfortable,” she reassured him. Snuggling against him, she sighed happily. “This is really nice. Thank you for setting this up.”

He kissed her hair in response, humming his similar feelings of contentment. 

The pair sat in comfortable silence, listening to the ambience sounds of distant waves crashing against the shore, the soft chirps of birds waking up to the dawn of a new day, and the constant bubbling from the jacuzzi. They watched as the sky underwent its magical transformation, lightening from a deep navy to a rich shade of cobalt. As the sun approached the horizon from its place of rest, the edges of the horizon were painted in ombre tones of red, orange and yellow. Gradually, the glowing orb made its appearance, shimmering in magnificence. Distinct rays of light shot out from the star in all directions, cutting across the blue expanse, making sure that every living thing was made aware of its grand entrance. Lucy and Gray watched in awe as the colours shifted continually, as though they were watching a painter colour his canvas before their eyes.

Finally, the sky settled as a light pastel blue, and the rest of life began to awake. Gray broke the silence first, loosening his arms around Lucy to stretch his body. He let out a yawn that betrayed his lack of sleep. “So Lucy, what do you want to do now? Are you tired?” he asked.

He expected her to announce that a nap was in order, since it was barely 7am, but it seemed Lucy had other ideas of her own. Instead of moving away, she turned to face him, and got onto his lap, straddling him. This woke Gray up immediately, getting rid of any previous drowsiness. He met her half-lidded gaze as her eyes landed on his face. Planting her soft hands on his stomach, she ran them up his muscular pecs before settling on his chest. “I’m not really tired…” she whispered coyly.

Catching her drift, he smirked lazily at her. “That’s good. I was thinking maybe we could enjoy this jacuzzi for a while longer.” He caught both her arms in one large hand, yanking her in gently, while his other hand went around her head to bring her face in to his. He captured her lips in a smooth motion, swallowing her gasp of surprise. Taking advantage of her open mouth, he slipped his tongue into her warm cavern, and stroked her appendage softly, guiding her to engage him in a dance of tongues.

Lucy responded excitedly, her legs moving on their own to wrap around his waist. She wiggled her arms, prompting him to release them from his hold, before moving one hand down to settle on his crotch, feeling his hardening member. His hand snaked around her waist to hold her securely in place. She grasped him through the material of his swim pants, and felt it twitch slightly as a small groan slipped out from his mouth as he pulled back from the kiss.

“Can you show me how else we can enjoy this jacuzzi?” she asked suggestively, although it was obvious she already knew what he had in mind, with her hand massaging his cock rhythmically. He nodded, with hooded eyes. He was lost in her seductive charm.

He leaned forward to suck at her neck, eliciting a moan from Lucy. He alternated between sucking and licking down her neck and along her collarbone, until he reached the gentle swell of where her breasts began. His hands moved to untie her bikini top, and seconds later, her beautiful mounds were bare for him to feast upon – both with his eyes, and his mouth. He immediately took one into his mouth, sucking her flesh and swirling his tongue around her erect nipple, creating amazing sensations in her body. Lucy arched her back reflexively, giving him full access. His other hand took the other breast, his thumb rubbing circles over her nipple to give her equal stimulation.

Sounds of pleasure from Lucy filled the air, and she closed her eyes in enjoyment of Gray’s ministrations. Not wanting to just be on the receiving end, she forced her eyes open and gently pushed Gray away from her body, making him look up at her in confusion

“Take it off,” she told him breathlessly, tugging at the waistband of his swim pants. She saw understanding flash in his navy eyes before he released her from his grasp, allowing them both some space to remove both their swim bottoms from their bodies. Once those final pieces of clothing were flung out of the jacuzzi to land somewhere that they could care about later, the pair gravitated towards each other instantaneously, their hands resuming their earlier caresses while their lips met in an urgent kiss. If last night was about gentle exploration, today was about need satisfaction.

Gray’s mouth went straight to the other breast, taking the soft mound into his waiting mouth, tongue working magic around her sensitive nub. He pulled her back onto his lap, but now without any barriers in between both their nether regions, he felt her warm core rub tantalisingly against his hardened member. The dull ache that he had been feeling intensified as memories of the previous night flooded his hazy, aroused mind.

Lucy’s hands wandered freely all over Gray’s toned body, revelling in the fact that this man was hers, and hers alone. Every inch of his sexy being belonged to her, and that thought turned her on so _bad_. She could feel herself getting moist as she grinded against his erect cock intentionally, trying to relieve some of the throbbing need in her. She was so hot for him, and getting frisky in an open jacuzzi actually made her extra excited. She had never done something so cheeky before, even if it was within the confines of their private villa and nobody was around to watch. She needed him in her so bad, and after such a satisfying night, she was craving for more… and Gray had yet to fulfil his promise to her. The last she counted, he still owed her at least one more orgasm before they left the villa, and she fully intended to claim it (and hopefully get a few extra)!

She reached down to grasp his cock, giving him a few teasing pumps. Gray’s mouth detached from her breast for his head to loll back in ecstasy. The warm bubbling water around them already got his body temperature up high, but her warm hand holding his member so tightly seemed to raise the temperature even higher. He couldn’t help being lost in the sensations, letting out a loud moan as she continued to pump up and down.

Lucy leaned in to lay light kisses and sucks along Gray’s neck while his head was thrown back, and she moved up to nibble at his ear lobe. For all his emotionless reactions and cold demeanour, Gray had a surprising number of erogenous spots, which was something Lucy had discovered the previous night – two of which were his ears and neck. She wanted to leave a hickey, but given his terrible stripping habit, perhaps a hickey wasn’t that good an idea. She decided to settle for just teasing him endlessly with little nips and licks. She could tell she was driving Gray crazy from his low groans and hip jerks, and she felt immensely proud of herself for being able to do this to him… and that she was going to be the only woman to see this side of him from now on. Lucy knew for a fact that one smouldering look from his intense eyes would be enough to drive her over the edge, and she wanted to be able to do the same to him.

“Does this feel good, Gray?” she whispered into his ear lowly, giving him a slow lick along the shell of his ear.

He slowly opened his eyes halfway to meet her sexy gaze. “Yes, Lucy, you make me feel so damn good. You’re driving me crazy,” he whispered back, his tone barely concealing promises of his own revenge to come.

She stuck her tongue at him seductively, leaning in to kiss him, but once their lips touched, Gray stopped her working hand, pulling her flush against him to dominate her mouth. He was suddenly aggressive, one arm wrapped tightly around her waist and the other threaded through her wet locks, pressing her face against his. He demonstrated his intense need for her, his love and his desperation to take her. Their tongues battled, but she never stood a chance as he took charge, coaxing her to give into him. Lucy complied, her body completely melting into his embrace, telling him that she was all his to take, his and his alone.

His hands moved to her hips, and ending the kiss with his forehead leaning against hers, he sought her permission. “Are you ready, Lucy?” he asked breathlessly, waiting for her answer and trying very hard to control himself from ramming straight into her.

She nodded quickly, panting in her own need. She placed one hand against the edge of the jacuzzi, using it as support to lift herself up over him. Her other hand reached down to take hold of his cock, positioning it right at her entrance. Keeping eye contact with Gray, she smiled at him, lowering herself down as Gray’s hands worked in tandem to direct her hips downwards. As he entered her, her walls pulsed around him in welcome, and loud moans were emitted from both of them at the incredible sensations that were zapping through their bodies from head to toe.

Lucy was so hot, it felt like she was burning him up with her throbbing core. Her walls were tight around him, as though she wanted to keep him there forever, refusing to let him go. His eyes almost rolled to the back of his head at how good it felt, and he made sure to let Lucy know. “Fuck Lucy, you’re so hot and so tight. You feel so damn good, I never want to stop,” he panted. “You’re so damn gorgeous, I love you so much!”

A breathless laugh escaped from Lucy as she basked in his words. She herself was reeling from the amazing feeling of having him fill her, and as her walls stretched to accommodate his size, she reflexively clamped down on him, loving how perfectly they fitted together. “I love you too, Gray,” she breathed. “Show me how much you love me.”

He didn’t hesitate to take her up on her challenge, immediately holding her tight and pulling back to thrust into her. She gasped at his quick movements, which were in stark contrast to their slow and intimate connection last night. She couldn’t say she didn’t like this side of him though – she probably had a bit of a closet masochist inside her somewhere.

Hearing her gasp, Gray paused. “Are you okay?” he asked, worried that he was being too rough and she didn’t like it.

“Y-yeah, don’t stop, Gray! You make me feel so good!” Her words were punctuated by her heavy breathing.

Finding renewed vigour, he pulled back to thrust into her roughly again, and again. Loud moans spilled from Lucy’s lips as she held onto the edge of the tub for stability, his hard thrusts almost dislodging her from her position if not for his strong hands gripping her hips. The sensations were mind-blowing, with the heated water around them enhancing everything. She lost herself in their passionate coupling, freely letting out sounds of pleasure to egg him on. His low grunts and groans were music to her ears, happy that he was enjoying it as much as she did.

Soon, Gray could feel himself reaching his peak. He didn’t last as long as he had hoped to, what with Lucy stimulating him earlier on with her skilled hands, but he didn’t let that distract him. He was feeling way too good right in that moment to want to slow down, and now that they were together, they could have fun any time they wanted. He gritted his teeth, trying to hold back for as long as he could, while he brought one hand down to Lucy’s sensitive clit. Rubbing circles around it gently, he leaned in to suck at her neck, knowing that that action turned her on. He didn’t want to end without her being satisfied as well.

As he continued to tease her swollen nub, he could sense her approaching peak as well, when her thighs started to quiver around him. Satisfied that he had sufficiently warmed her up, he resumed his thrusting, while continuing to rub her clit.

“Lucy, moan for me,” he growled into her ear. Lucy acceded to his request, a loud and seductive mewl escaping her lips. That pushed him over the edge, him calling out her name as he thrusted a couple more times into her with his thumb circling her clit faster and faster, until she joined him in ecstasy, her strong walls milking him of his warm seed and her loud cry ringing through the air. He jerked against her for a few seconds as he rode out his wave of pleasure, before sagging against the edge of the tub in fatigue. The intense lovemaking had taken a lot out of him, and besides the weariness that was catching up with him due to the lack of sleep and exertion, the heat from the warm water was beginning to feel uncomfortable. The sun by now had been shining for some time, which had warmed the air as well. He would appreciate taking a cool shower and enjoying some air-conditioning.

Gray lifted a hand to brush some strands of wet hair away from Lucy’s similarly tired face. Her face was flushed and her eyes were hooded, betraying her hazy mind. He smiled, taking pride that he was the one that had rendered her senseless. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, his fingers lingering on her cheek.

Lucy smiled warmly back at him, her bright smile making his heart skip a beat. Her smaller hand came up to rest against his, her slender fingers curling around his longer ones. “Yeah, I’m fine. That was amazing,” she confessed shyly. If her face could have gotten any redder, it definitely would have. But as it is, her cheeks were already sporting a bright flush from the earlier exercise and the heat.

He chuckled as he gave her a light peck on the lips. “You look like you’re about to melt. Let’s go in and get a cold shower, this water is starting to cook me!”

Gray stood up in all his naked glory, making Lucy bite her lower lip in shy excitement. He leaned down to help her up, and the same thought crossed their minds at the same time: _‘How did I get so lucky?’_ They grabbed their towels and dried themselves off quickly before entering the room, happy and sated.

* * *

It was 9.30am by the time they were done showering and dressed in clean clothes. They had ended their sunrise-watching and jacuzzi activities at 8am, but they couldn’t resist getting frisky again in the shower. Having Lucy strut around naked was too much for Gray to bear, and he had promptly seduced her under the cool water of the rainshower. Making sure he over-delivered on his promise to her, he had gone down on Lucy with her mounted on the spacious sink top and her back pressed against the mirror. That had been a delicious breakfast for Gray, and an incredible morning pick-me-up for Lucy.

Following that, Lucy had reminded Gray of one of her favourite sex positions from their question game the previous night, which led to him taking her from behind, bringing her to a loud completion yet again. Finally, realising that they were going to miss breakfast if they didn’t stop fooling around, they had stopped and gotten down to actually doing the one thing they were supposed to be doing: taking a shower.

As Lucy blew-dried her hair, she couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped her, making Gray turn to look at her curiously. He was towelling his own hair dry, messing all the navy strands up into his signature tousled look.

“I can’t believe we were going at it like rabbits,” she blurted out, shy but also amused at their antics. She had never thought herself to be an exceptionally horny person, but considering how long she had gone without sex, she had expected herself to be slightly hornier than normal. However, even the frequency of their lovemaking over the last 2 days surprised her. She was surprised at her own libido, but yet also happy to find out that Gray also had a similar level of libido.

He laughed at that thought, agreeing. “I know, I’m sorry, I’m not usually this horny. It’s just that it’s been a long drought,” he sighed, “and you’re irresistible.” He gave her a sexy smirk, making her blush and roll her eyes in fake annoyance.

“Yeah, yeah, who knew you had such a silver tongue,” she muttered. Glancing at the clock, she realised they would probably not make it for breakfast. “Hey Gray, I think we should just request for room service for breakfast, since it’s already pretty late. We can also book our massage slots for later! What do you think?” she suggested

“Oh yeah, let’s do that. Might as well enjoy the room as much as we can, huh?” He threw his towel over the nearest chair, making Lucy raise her eyebrows at him, before flopping backwards to land squarely in the middle of the bed. He let out a contented sigh as he closed his eyes, pointedly ignoring Lucy’s frown. A cheeky smile settled on his face, proving that he was doing it on purpose just to get on Lucy’s nerves.

She huffed at his childish behaviour, before walking over to the bedside phone to call the reception. A sweet voice sounded on the other end of the line. “Hi there, I’m Wendy. How may I be of assistance to you this morning?”

Lucy smiled as she recognised the lovely voice of the young, blue-haired receptionist who had checked them in yesterday. “Hi Wendy! This is Lucy and Gray, calling from our room. I’d like to request for breakfast to be brought to our room please, if it’s not too much trouble?” She waited for a reply before making her second request.

“Oh, good morning Miss Heartfilia! I hope you have been enjoying your stay here at the Vermillion Beachfront Villas! Certainly, I will arrange for it to be sent to you right away. Do you have any dietary preferences?”

“Nope, everything’s good! Thank you so much, Wendy! Also, can I make a massage appointment booking for the both of us this afternoon, say 1pm? Would we have to head down to the main building?”

“Let me check the appointment book for you, Miss Heartfilia… Okay, 1pm looks clear, so let me write you in. Don’t worry, the masseurs will head to your villa at 1pm and you can have the massage directly on your private sundeck!”

“Awesome! Thank you so much once again, Wendy! You’ve been such a great help,” gushed Lucy. She made a mental note to leave a good tip for the cheerful receptionist.

“You’re most welcome, Miss Heartfilia! It is my pleasure. Please don’t hesitate to call the front desk if you have any other requests. Have a good day!”

“You too, Wendy!”

Putting down the phone, she noticed that Gray had fallen asleep, snoring lightly with his mouth open. She quickly grabbed her phone to snap an unglamorous photo of him, saving it for the occasion when such photos would come in handy. Giggling to herself, she went to hang both their wet towels on the towel rack outside, before coming back in and lying on the bed beside him.

The next thing she knew, Gray was lightly shaking her shoulder, telling her the food was here and that she should get up and eat it while it was still hot. She sat up in confusion, unaware that she had similarly fallen asleep beside Gray – she was clearly as exhausted as he was. Lucy sniffed the air and smelled the delicious aroma of a savoury meal coming from outside their room, and realized that Gray had wheeled the cart of food out onto the sun deck, and had set it out neatly on the coffee table there.

She got off the bed and gave herself a good stretch, hearing her joints pop satisfyingly. Walking through the glass doors onto the deck, her eyes lit up with delight at the breakfast spread. There was a cold platter of assorted meats and cheeses, a plate of fragrant scrambled eggs, two plates of individually-portioned breakfast sets that consisted of sausages, grilled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms and hash browns, and a small fruit platter. Alongside these was also a small basket of freshly baked croissants. Topping it all off were three pitchers of beverages – one containing fresh orange juice, and the other two containing hot coffee and tea.

The villa had really outdone itself! There was more than enough food for four, and she was sure that this meal would last them the entire day. Her stomach growled as it reminded her that it had been more than 12 hours since their last meal. Lucy was absolutely ravenous, and she couldn’t wait to tuck in!

Gray smiled as he noticed Lucy drooling over at the door. He called her name, shaking her out of her food-induced stupor, and beckoned her to take a seat. He had already set out the utensils for the both of them, and he didn’t want to wait a moment longer to dive into this feast.

“So Gray…” Lucy began, before her voice trailed off, making her companion look up at her in interest. He had been so busy stuffing his face that he didn’t even realise he had some gotten some ketchup onto his cheek. Lucy giggled as she reached over and wiped the red spot off with a napkin.

“I’m just kind of thinking about what we are now?” she finished voicing her concern. “Like, between us, and also within our group, if you get what I mean?”

What the blonde didn’t know was that the exact same thoughts and concerns had crossed his mind just that very morning. He had intended to broach the subject on their ferry back to Magnolia, but since she had brought it up, he decided that this was as good a time.

He cleaned his mouth before he stood up. Walking back into the room without saying a word, he disappeared into the bathroom. Lucy was left to stare after him in confusion, wondering if she had scared him into needing to clear his bowels immediately after eating.

Her brows furrowed in concern as she debated whether to follow after him. However, she didn’t have time to come to a conclusion when he reemerged, his hands seemingly holding something behind his back. Coming through the glass doors, he came up to her side of the table. His eyes were fixed on Lucy’s face, and he wore a determined expression.

“Gray…?” she asked haltingly, unsure what was going on. Was he regretting the progression of their relationship? Had she said something wrong? They definitely needed to have that conversation, but did she start the topic prematurely?

As she watched him with uncertainty, he suddenly got down on one knee. Bringing his hands forward, he revealed a small makeshift bouquet of flowers that he had put together from the random flower arrangements in the room. Lucy gasped softly as her eyes widened in surprise.

Gray took out a small navy box from his pocket, and placed it on the table. “Open it, Lucy,” he told her softly.

Still dumbstruck, she nodded mutely and reached for it. Lifting the lid, she let out another gasp as a necklace was unveiled. It was a simple silver chain, but what stole her breath away was the beautiful pendant that was hung from it. It was a silver crescent moon, dotted with five aquamarine gemstones in varying shades of blue that sparkled in the light.

“Oh my… Gray, what is this?” she asked, her brown eyes moving to meet his navy ones.

He gave her a charming smile, one that made her heart flutter. “Lucy, I know this was unexpected, but we can’t go against what fate has determined,” he winked as she semi-rolled her eyes at him. “I’ve come to realise just how important you are to me, and truth be told, this has been a long time coming.”

She had no idea what he meant with that, so she simply sat there in silence.

“I probably have always loved you, but I’ve always been too afraid of jeopardising our friendship. During this trip, I realized that that was my greatest mistake. I don’t want to make that mistake again, and I don’t want to let you go. You’ve always been my best friend, and I want you to be more than that. Lucy Heartfilia, will you be my girlfriend?” He stared right into her eyes, searching for an answer.

Lucy’s face was glowing with a wide smile. As she was listening to his words, she couldn’t think of anything else other than how handsome he looked right at that moment. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his focused face, and all she really wanted to do was to pull him into a deep kiss.

She didn’t even realise that he had finished until he tilted his head questioningly at her prolonged silence. Gray was still waiting for her answer, but her face was frozen into a wide grin. Coming to her senses, the grin never left her face as she reached out and pulled his head towards her. Her lips crashed against his in a deep, sensual kiss, and they were both left breathless when they finally broke apart.

“Of course, yes! I didn’t expect you to be so cheesy,” she laughed joyously. “This isn’t even a proposal, why did you have to be so formal?”

He finally got off his knee, and returned to his seat beside Lucy. Chuckling along with her, he shrugged. “I don’t know, I didn’t wanna ruin it and risk having to do it all over again. Too much effort.”

Receiving a light hit to his arm, he grinned goofily as he reached for the necklace. Taking it out from its box, he held it up in front of Lucy. “Do you like it?” he asked.

Lucy nodded with a brilliant smile. “Yeah, it’s beautiful. Can you put it on for me?” She turned around, her hands coming up to hold her hair away from her neck. “Where did you get it?”

Gray unclasped the necklace and gently put it on Lucy. Securing the clasp, he tapped her shoulder to let her know he was done. “The villa has a merchandise shop, and I saw the necklace in the catalogue that they placed in the room. So before the food came, while you were napping, I ordered it through Wendy.”

“Well, I love it! Thank you so much, boyfriend,” she teased.

“That’s the only present you’re ever going to get from me, girlfriend,” he replied mischievously. “And to answer your question, we’re now in a relationship.”

* * *

Lucy sunk into her seat with a contented sigh. Gray took a few more moments to secure their bags in the overhead storage, before taking his own beside his girlfriend. After a fantastic weekend vacation, they were finally on the ferry back to Magnolia.

The rest of the day had flown by in the blink of an eye, and one of their favourite parts of the getaway was the massage. Their masseurs had been incredibly talented with their fingers, effortlessly kneading away the knots in their bodies to the therapeutic sounds of ocean waves. Gray had fallen soundly asleep, and when he still remained fast asleep even after the masseurs had left their villa, Lucy had sneakily taken her eyeliner and drawn all over his face. That was how she got another picture for future blackmailing purposes. He didn't know that though.

“Remind me to always let you spin the wheel for future lucky draws,” Gray commented casually. He looked over at her and smirked handsomely. “I could get used to such vacations.”

She snorted, sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m not sure if you should be so proud of yourself, because you were the only one without any weekend plans, you know,” she pointed out, an intentional ‘oops’ expression on her face.

He frowned at her, a hand moving over to tickle her in revenge. “You too, alright!”

She broke out laughing, her ticklishness getting the better of her. “Okay, okay, I give! Stop it! We need to plan how we’re going to break the news to Natsu and Erza.”

That was true. The group had arranged to meet up again the next evening, for dinner and drinks back at their usual hang, Fairy Tail Taproom. They weren’t sure how Erza and Natsu were going to react to the news of their new relationship, but oh well, they’ll deal with it when it comes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eek! Gray has always struck me as a character who’s dorky, but yet still mature and calm when the situation calls for it. Despite many people claiming Gray to be a ‘tsundere’ type of guy, I believe that he just needs the right person to bring out his romantic/cheesy side. He’s always been pretty open with Lucy, complimenting her to her face and all, so I think Gray does have it in him to be the perfect boyfriend. Yay my lovely characters <3
> 
> I’ll try to get the next chapter out by the following Wednesday as per my usual updating schedule for this story :) Thank you for reading you lovely people!
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


	6. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I got this written earlier than expected, so here it is for you guys – no point keeping everyone waiting :) It’s the last chapter; thank you all so much for journeying with me and our favourite characters all this time! Please enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.**

* * *

** New Beginnings **

Gray yawned as he stretched his long legs lazily from where he was very comfortably seated. He was currently lounging in Lucy’s apartment, waiting for her to finish getting ready to head out. He had come over right after he had knocked off work, which was about 45 minutes ago. Lucy had told him that she was almost done right before he had arrived, but close to an hour later, it seemed like she hadn’t made any progress.

“Hey Lucy, are you done? We’re going to be late to meet the rest if we don’t leave in ten,” he yelled from his spot, unwilling to budge. It had been a long day at work, and he was still suffering from holiday withdrawals. They had only just come back from their complimentary weekend vacation after all. It was a bummer that they both had to return to work immediately the next day.

When no reply came, he sighed as he shifted to get his butt off the couch to hurry his girlfriend. What was taking her so long? Just as he finally forced himself to stand up, the beautiful blonde swept into the living room, clad in a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and a white strapless bustier top, which gave her a glow as it contrasted against her newly-bronzed skin. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves, and one gold hoop earring hung from her left ear as her fingers worked to fasten the one on the right. Around her neck, she wore the new necklace that was given to her by Gray, when he asked her to be his girlfriend on Tenrou Island. The five aquamarine gemstones along the crescent pendant glittered exquisitely as she moved.

She grinned sheepishly at Gray, turning in a circle. “Well? How do I look? Sorry, I just got a new curler and I was trying to figure it out without burning my hair off,” she explained. She bit her lip cutely as she walked over to him, trying to send him as much apologetic vibes as she could.

He raised an eyebrow as she came closer, his lips quirking into a small smile. How was he to resist her? Gray sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in against his chest. Looking down, his eyes fell immediately to the deep valley of her chest, and he frowned.

“Are you sure you wanna go out in this?” he asked, appreciating the view but not so much the looks that she was going to get.

“What’s wrong?” Her wide brown orbs peered up at him in a mixture of confusion and worry.

“Ah, never mind. You look,” he leaned in to give her soft kisses behind her ear, “and smell delicious.”

A bright blush painted Lucy’s cheeks, and she giggled. “You look pretty dashing yourself, Fullbuster.” Coming straight from his office, he was wearing a fitted navy shirt with a pair of grey checkered work pants.

He smirked handsomely, holding her eyes captive with his smouldering navy ones. “Wanna shower together tonight?” he whispered, an underlying offer hidden in his words.

Her eyes slid half-closed, already imagining all the fun things they could get up to later. She was about to give him her reply when her phone dinged with a text message. Tiptoeing, she caught his lips in a deep kiss, thrusting her tongue into his mouth to show her excitement, and sucking on his lower lip before pulling away. She gave him a wink as she sashayed away towards her phone, making sure his hooded gaze was on her firm ass.

Picking up her phone from the coffee table, she opened the latest text message. It was from Natsu, to their group chat. “Hey Gray, seems like Natsu’s not feeling too good. He’s asking if we could reschedule,” she told Gray with a small pout.

“Huh? Unwell? What’s wrong with him?” he asked.

Lucy shrugged. “I don’t know, he didn’t say. He just said he’s feeling unwell. Do you think we should go over and check on him? We could bring some nice food over and keep him company. I wanna play with Happy too!” she suggested brightly, referring to Natsu’s new kitten.

Gray nodded, agreeing to her suggestion. “Yeah I think that sounds like a plan. Let’s drop Erza a text to meet at Natsu’s in 30 minutes, and grab some food along the way.”

Lucy quickly typed out a reply to update the rest on the change of plans, hitting the ‘send’ button. “Alright, that’s settled! Let’s go, what do you feel like eating?”

“You,” he replied sneakily, earning himself an eye roll. Gray held the door open as he waited for Lucy to put on her shoes. She slipped into a comfortable pair of black boots, switching off the lights in her apartment as they headed out, but not before giving him a hard slap on the back.

“Say that again?”

* * *

Getting out of their cab, Gray and Lucy walked up to Natsu’s building apartment. He stayed in a block of rental flats that were mostly occupied by university students or young adults who had moved to Magnolia for work. Each apartment was a cosy studio set-up, with enough space for a queen-sized bed, a living area, and a small kitchenette. It was the perfect living space for a bachelor, and in Natsu’s case, a little kitten.

They took the elevator to the fifth floor, and emerging into the corridor, they saw a redhead walking towards their destination.

“Erza! Hey!” Lucy called out, waving happily at their friend as the redhead turned, hearing her name being called.

Her mocha-coloured eyes lit up in recognition as she smiled warmly at the pair, her hands currently full with holding a tray of food. “Hey you two! Don’t you both look nicely tanned?” she teased. “I guess the vacation didn’t go to waste, after all.”

Lucy laughed as she quickly caught up to Erza. Gray trailed behind, carrying the food that Lucy and he had bought earlier. They had gotten two pizzas, some buffalo chicken wings and sweet potato fries, two bottles of wine and some hot soup for poor, sick Natsu. Lucy had also insisted on getting some cat treats and a toy for Happy, since it was their first time meeting the little kitten. She didn’t want him to feel left out, apparently.

“The vacation was great! We wished you both could have joined us – it was the complete luxury getaway. You wouldn’t believe just how posh the villa was,” gushed Lucy. “Right, Gray?” she turned to look at him expectantly.

Gray nodded, adding, “Yeah, it was really awesome. The stay came with a free welcome dinner, a massage on the beach, and even room service. Man, I would totally go back there for a honeymoon or some romantic getaway.”

Erza lifted an eyebrow at his last sentence. “A romantic getaway? I didn’t expect that coming from you, Gray, considering that you don’t have anyone to rendezvous romantically with..?” Her statement ended on a questioning note. Catching Lucy and Gray glance furtively at each other, thinking that they were being inconspicuous, she smirked knowingly. She’d let them off the hook for now. “Okay Lucy, do you think you could help ring the doorbell? My hands are a little full here.”

“Oh! Sure!” She rushed forward, a finger landing on the doorbell. Looking down, she noticed that there was a pair of flats, which were obviously not Natsu’s and belonged to a woman. “Hey guys… why is there a pair of flats here? Did we get the wrong apartment?”

The three of them looked up to double-check the unit number just in case, because the pair of shoes was completely out of place.

Gray was the first to respond. “No, this is definitely Natsu’s unit.”

“Oh, that’s weird,” Lucy mused. Just then, the door opened, to reveal the pink-haired man himself – half-naked, looking extremely sprightly, and definitely _not_ unwell.

“G-guys?!” Natsu’s black eyes widened to the size of saucers, as he gaped openly at the three people standing outside his door.

“Uh, surprise?” Lucy waved and grinned awkwardly. “You look… fine?”

Natsu gulped and quickly opened the door, stepping out of his apartment and oddly closing it behind him. He stood there awkwardly, still topless, with one hand scratching the back of his head. “What are you guys doing here?” he finally mustered.

Erza frowned, which was not a good sign. “What do you mean? After you asked to reschedule because you were feeling unwell, Lucy suggested for us to come over and keep you company instead. We brought food,” she gestured at the bags in Gray’s hands, “and dessert and card games. None of these was a surprise, Natsu, we told you in the group chat.”

“The group…chat?” he asked, confused, until realization dawned upon him. “Oh crap, I left my phone to charge by the bed. I missed out on all the texts, I’m so sorry guys,” he apologized, embarrassed. “I really appreciate you guys coming over to check on me, I really do, but um, this is not exactly a good time…” he coughed into his hand for good measure. “I’m sick, you see. I don’t wanna spread this bug to you guys, you know?”

“Shut up, Flamebrain. You’re obviously fine. What’s the deal?” Gray demanded, uttering his first words since Natsu opened the door. After their decade of friendship, they could all easily see through their pink-haired friend’s pretense, and couldn’t understand why he was lying.

Both Lucy and Erza nodded in agreement. “Yes Natsu, just tell us what’s going on. We’re already here with food and all, we’re not going to just leave,” stated the redhead matter-of-factly.

The guy in question stood there hesitantly, his hand still scratching the back of his head nervously. He was obviously caught in a dilemma, but nobody knew what. If only he would just spill! What was it – kitten got his tongue?

“Hey Natsu, who is it? Do you need any help?” A feminine voice sounded right then, breaking the awkward silence between the four friends.

Lucy gasped silently. “Is that a girl?!” she whispered incredulously. “Oh dear stars, Natsu, do you have a girl in your apartment? Is that why you wanted to ditch us?!”

Natsu’s bulging eyes and tomato-red cheeks were all they needed to confirm their suspicions. Gray and Erza didn’t bother waiting for a verbal answer – the poor boy was frozen in shock. Gray nudged Lucy aside gently, coming forward to roll his eyes at Natsu. Pushing past him, the navy-haired man simply took the liberty of entering into the apartment on his own, with Erza following close behind. Lucy quickly closed her open mouth and zipped into the house as well, but not before throwing a look of disbelief at her pink-haired friend as she passed him. Natsu gulped as he turned around in slow motion, feeling like a deer caught in headlights as he closed his door behind him.

“Natsu, what’s taking you so lo-“ the same feminine voice they had heard earlier sounded again, but her question was cut short when she emerged from the kitchenette and saw their new guests. The owner of the voice was a pretty girl with white hair, cut into a fashionable bob, and she had the most startling azure blue eyes. She was wiping her hands on a red apron that she was wearing over a yellow sundress.

“Hi!” Lucy chirped brightly, without missing a beat. “I’m Lucy, and this is Gray.” She introduced Gray on his behalf, knowing how he was a man of few words, but intentionally left Erza out, giving her the chance to introduce herself.

“And I’m Erza. We’re childhood friends of Natsu’s,” she offered. “And you are?”

A light blush appeared on the girl’s cheeks as she smiled at them shyly, probably feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sudden intrusion of strangers. She was definitely not expecting to meet his longtime friends, especially without any warning!

“H-hi, I’m Lisanna Strauss,” she stammered nervously, cutely introducing herself in full. “Natsu and I are, uh, course-mates in the police academy.”

Natsu was currently enrolled in the National Police Academy of Fiore, in the midst of a two-year training program to become a police officer eventually. The first year of the program was held in the classroom, which was a foundational course that all potential employees of the police force had to go through.

“Guys!” Natsu burst onto the scene, having finally gathered himself after his initial shock. He grabbed his shirt that was lying nearby on the sofa and quickly put it on. “Guys, this is Lisanna. She’s my classmate from the academy, and uh, Lisanna, these are my best friends who I’ve known forever, the ones I’ve been telling you about.” He finished his haphazard introduction, and his hand reflexively went to rub the back of his head again. It was a nervous tic of his.

Lucy giggled, very amused by the whole situation. Being Lucy, she decided that she had to immediately do something in order to defuse the situation – otherwise they’d be standing there staring at each other for the rest of the night if it was up to Gray or Erza, or worse, daft Natsu.

She clapped her hands together – being the only one with empty hands – and announced, “Alright guys, let’s make ourselves at home. Sorry Lisanna, Natsu had told us that he was feeling unwell, so that’s why we’re here with all these food. We wanted to surprise him with a cosy night in, but it seems like he’s already pretty well taken care of. I hope you don’t mind us!” she winked at the white-haired girl.

Lisanna laughed softly in return. “Oh, Natsu and I were just making dinner! I think we actually made too much for just the two of us, would you guys like some? We made okonomiyaki.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up. “That sounds absolutely delicious! It would go very well with our pizzas and wine. You know what, don’t mind us – go ahead and finish whatever you guys were busy with, and the three of us will settle the rest!”

She pushed Natsu towards Lisanna and waved at him with her hands. Going over to Gray, she took a bag from him and headed in the direction of the dining table. Gray and Erza followed behind the blonde, both of their arms starting to ache from carrying all the food for so long.

* * *

Over dinner, they found out that Natsu and Lisanna had known each other for the last six months that they’ve been in the police academy, but only recently started dating about a month back. Lisanna was looking to become an administrative officer in the police force, and hence had to still attend the foundational year of coursework. Because they were in the early stages of their relationship, Natsu had held back from updating the group, just in case things didn’t work out. It was just uncanny that they found out the way they did.

“That’s because you were so stupid, Squinty Eyes. Why would you pretend to be sick and ditch us? You could have come up with a better excuse,” Gray commented snarkily, unable to resist getting in a dig at his friend.

Natsu growled at Gray, narrowing his eyes at the dark-haired man. He was about to retort with something equally snarky, but Lisanna jumped in before he could say anything.

“It’s my fault actually! Today was my only free day for the next two weeks, because I’ll be away visiting some relatives in Crocus. If I had known he was supposed to meet you guys, I wouldn’t have suggested making dinner together! Sorry about that,” she said apologetically.

Gray gave her a small grin. “Nah, it’s on the idiot for not being able to come up with a better excuse. You’re good, Lisanna.”

Natsu crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, sulking. He had known his excuse would likely backfire, but he couldn’t think of anything else at such short notice, and decided to just give it a shot. He had expected to be bombarded with texts and calls – nothing he couldn’t handle – but the last he thought his friends would do was to pop by his place unannounced. That thought made him bark out a laugh – as unexpected as it was, it was just so typical of his friends. He should have seen it from a mile away. So much for being friends for a decade.

Glancing around the table, he noticed that a certain redhead was extremely preoccupied with her phone, which was definitely uncharacteristic of Erza. In fact, as the mother hen, she would usually be the one nagging at the rest of them to stop texting and demanding a phone stack. Now, what in the world could be keeping her _this_ distracted?

“Yo Erza, why are you so busy? Are you sorting out your work schedule again?” asked Natsu. Being a full-time fitness instructor across several fitness studios, Erza had a very dynamic schedule, which sometimes required her to report for last-minute classes if another instructor called in sick.

The redhead looked up with wide eyes, obviously shocked at the sudden attention that was being directed towards her. Her mouth opened and closed, and they could all visibly see her brain working hard to come up with an answer for Natsu. “Y-yeah, w-w-work you kn-know?” she stuttered.

Lucy frowned at her nervous answer. Erza never stuttered – she was always the calm, confident older sister of the gang. Seriously, what was up with everybody tonight?

“Um, Erza, I don’t think so. Why are you so nervous? Natsu’s just asking why you’ve been texting all night,” stated Lucy. “In fact, he stole the words right out of my mouth. I’ve noticed it too.”

“No! I-I haven’t been texting all night,” she tried to defend herself, although very weakly. Even both Gray and Natsu looked unconvinced, and they were the last to even try and question Erza on a normal day.

Lucy looked over at Erza worriedly, placing a hand on her arm. “Relax, if there’s anything you need, you can just let us know. You know all of us here have got your back, Lisanna included,” she told her gently. When Erza met her gaze with unsure orbs, the blonde nodded reassuringly. “Come on, is this our first date? Why are we all acting like strangers tonight? Seriously, guys,” Lucy pleaded in an exasperated tone.

Erza sighed guiltily, knowing that Lucy was right. They were like family, and they’ve never usually held back from sharing problems with one another. She knew that if any of the rest did the same to her, she wouldn’t like it one bit either. But the problem was that… this concerned…

“I… I, uh, met someone, this weekend, in a c-class,” Erza squeaked out. “A g-g-g-uy.”

Natsu jumped up from his seat, clapping his hands together excitedly as Lucy squealed in unconcealed excitement. Even Gray sat up straight in his seat, leaning forward eagerly to hear more. Lisanna was slightly confused as to why everyone had such a big reaction, but Natsu promptly answered her unspoken question.

“ERZA? Are you finally in LOVE? With A BOY?” the pinkette asked loudly, a wide grin splitting his face. Gray bopped him on the head, making him yell in retaliation.

“Of course it’s a boy, you dumbass,” he scoffed

Lucy grasped both of Erza’s wrists in her hands, her brown eyes sparkling in delight at the blushing girl. “Tell us everything, Erza! And I mean everything! If we find out that you’ve left any detail out, we’re not going to let you go tonight,” she warned.

Erza laughed shyly, rolling her eyes at her friends’ antics. As embarrassed as she was, she was very happy that her friends cared so much for her. She thought that they would find her news lame, and brush past it, so she had initially decided to skip mentioning it that night. But of course, they would find out – it came with knowing one another so well.

“It’s… it’s actually Jellal. He was at one of my classes this weekend, and it turned out that he had just joined as a part-time instructor,” she explained softly. “What are the odds, huh?”

The three – Lucy, Gray and Natsu – sat back in their seats in shock. “JELLAL?!” they echoed. Lisanna simply sat there, observing her new friends as she nibbled at her okonomiyaki. This sounded pretty juicy.

Erza nodded silently. They were all shocked because Jellal was an old acquaintance of theirs – he had actually been from the same middle school where the four of them had met. However, he was from a neighbouring class, and he was the only boy that Erza had ever crushed on throughout the whole of her schooling life. Even till today, Erza had never mentioned feelings for any other guy – despite the fact that Erza did go on dates from time to time with guys she found attractive, she had never developed a romantic interest in any of them.

And now that the gang was hearing that she had finally found someone she was interested in, they were over-the-moon – but not for a moment did they imagine that the man in question would actually still be the same old guy from 10 years ago.

“You can’t be serious,” offered Natsu intelligently.

Erza looked at him with a sheepish expression. “I am,” she confirmed. “He remembers me, and we traded numbers. So we’ve been texting since, and,” she hesitated, “we’re meeting up for dinner this Friday night.”

Lucy and Gray looked at each other for a long moment, before the navy-haired man shrugged. What were the odds indeed, but then again, who’s to fight fate? Both he and Lucy were ones to talk.

“That’s honestly pretty cool, Erza. It sounds almost impossible, but you know, since it’s happened, then go for it. Maybe you guys are truly meant for each other huh,” Gray chuckled.

Lucy nodded, smiling at their embarrassed friend. She patted Erza’s wrists which she was still holding, adding, “Well, this is the second chance that fate has given you. Just don’t hide anything from us! Tell us where you’re going on Friday night, whether he’s fetching you, what he drives if he drives, if he paid for dinner or not, and if he sent you home! And make sure you also tell us if you guys hold hands or kiss! But no sleeping with him on your first date! You don’t know if he has a disease or anything!” The other three raised their eyebrows at her last statement.

“How are you so sure Gray doesn’t have a disease then?” Erza countered, her cool and collected demeanour quickly returning now that she spotted a flashing opportunity to change the subject.

Lucy choked on her saliva, coughing furiously until her eyes started to tear up. Gray froze in his seat, all previous smiles and chuckles gone from his face.

“W-w-what?” stammered the poor blonde.

Natsu burst out laughing, his hand slapping his stomach repeatedly as he guffawed loudly. He had been waiting all night for this moment, and Erza simply hit the nail on the head with her straightforward question, with absolutely no beating around the bush and mincing of words. His only regret was not being able to snap a photo of both Gray’s and Lucy’s beetroot-red faces, because it would have been priceless blackmail material for all eternity.

“Yeah, Ice Princess, how do we know you don’t have a disease?” Natsu chimed in, wanting to rub it in as much as he could as his best friend’s expense. Leaning over towards Lucy, he whispered conspiratorially, but yet loud enough for the whole table to hear, “I hope he lasted long enough for you.” Lucy’s face turned even redder than they thought it was possible – they could almost see smoke coming out of her ears.

Even Lisanna blushed slightly as her blue eyes widened in realization. She had noticed that Gray and Lucy were awfully close all night, with Gray looking out for Lucy and helping her with food and other small things, but she had simply brushed it off as them being exceptionally close friends. Now it made more sense!

Finally, Gray broke the silence. Being the man in the relationship, he didn’t want Lucy to feel too uncomfortable. “We-well, we have some news to share as well.” He cleared his throat, trying to regain his earlier composure. “Lucy and I, we’re officially dating.” His gaze shifted towards his girlfriend, who met his deep blue eyes with sparkling brown ones and a bright smile. His lips quirked up in response as he smiled back, unable to contain his happiness at being able to say that out loud. _Finally_.

Natsu and Erza grinned at them, their happiness equally evident on their faces for their friends. Both of them had known of Gray’s affection for Lucy since years ago, but it wasn’t in their place to do anything. After so many years, and Lucy’s most recent encounter with another shitty guy, they were glad that Gray finally had the chance to make his feelings known, but they were even gladder that Lucy had accepted and reciprocated them in return.

It was about damn time that the beautiful but painfully oblivious blonde noticed the catch that was just sitting there right under her nose!

“So, are you guys going to tell us about the weekend vacation, or what?” Erza demanded.

Natsu nodded eagerly, before cutting in to add a disclaimer, “But guys, no porn please. I don’t wanna imagine this Droopy Eyes naked. Just tell me the stuff outside the bedroom.”

Gray growled at Natsu, tempted to give him a finger. However, he held back, knowing that he was guilty of imagining Natsu naked during the vacation with Lucy – it certainly worked wonders to keep his arousal at bay. Well, that was one secret he was never divulging, even if he was on his deathbed. He glanced at Lucy, winking at her, before retorting, “This is where it’s obvious that your intellect is painfully lacking, Squinty Eyes. What makes you think that all the porn took place in the bedroom?”

At this point, Natsu turned almost as pink as his hair, and Erza was the only one left laughing at Gray’s not-so-much-a-joke joke, as both Lucy and Lisanna almost fainted in their seats.

It was funny how fate worked, and how things could change in the span of a mere 48 hours – because just a weekend ago, they were just a group of four friends, single and available. Now, there seemed like there would be two new additions to the gang soon, and the loyal ice knight, who had always been at his beloved princess’ side unfailingly, finally received his golden opportunity to claim her as his.

_\- End -_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes this short story :) It was meant to be short, and to take place over a weekend only – I hope all of you have enjoyed it! 
> 
> In my previous chapter, I mentioned that I was toying with the idea of continuing this story in a slice-of-life sequel that follows their new relationships. I do have some ideas written down for that already, so I think I might go ahead with it! 
> 
> That said, I do have another story idea I want to explore very much – an adventure story, so maybe I’ll write both at the same time? :p With life and my job, I hope to be able to provide updates at least once every two weeks. Stay tuned!
> 
> Thank you all who have commented/given kudos/bookmarked/followed/favourited this story – you are very much appreciated! You keep me going :)
> 
> x, WinterMaidenMuse


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